Agricultwe of Shropshire. 31 



after all he is the greatest loser. The value of the woodlands in 

 this part is — with the exception of the bark produced — regulated 

 by the state of the iron trade ; for, as the wood is chiefly disposed 

 of as poles for pit-wood and as cord-wood for charcoal, the 

 demand is necessarily regulated to some degree by the prosperity 

 or depression of this trade. The iron-masters generally purchase 

 the cord-wood and send their own charcoal burners to convert it. 



Draining. — This has been very generally practised throughout 

 the district, and with much advantage, but there is a large 

 proportion of land which still needs drainage. Various plans 

 have been adopted; about 15 or 16 years since the land was 

 drained with turf and stone drains, from two to three feet, but 

 more recently the tile and pipe drains have been gradually super- 

 seding the more primitive mode. At the same time the depth 

 has been increased to between three and four feet, which is the 

 usual depth. The results from the pipe drainage have been most 

 successful, and the expense has been considerably reduced by 

 their use. Many of the landlords find pipes, and the tenants 

 bury them. This, however, is unsatisfactory, and by far the 

 larger portion of the expense falls upon the tenant, who naturally 

 does it as economically as possible, and hence in too many cases 

 does not do it efficiently. Other proprietors drain the land and 

 charge the occupant 5 or 6 per cent, on the outlay. This is in 

 every way the best plan, for the proprietor makes a permanent 

 improvem.ent and receives a return which not only pays the 

 interest, but after a term of years liquidates the outlay also. 



District No. II. 



This may be distinguished as the district of Corve Dale, as it 

 includes and consists chiefly of this far-famed valley. It is en- 

 closed on the west by a range of limestone hills, extending from 

 Easthope in a south-west direction to VVesthope ; on the east it 

 is bounded by the Clee Hills and the rising land of District No. I., 

 and on the south it reaches to the borders of the county. A 

 reference to the map will show it to be a narrow but long slip of 

 land varying in width from 1^^ to 4 miles, and about 20 miles in 

 length, and containing about 35,000 acres. It is a tract of land 

 possessing much interest on account of its fertility and the 

 general appearance of prosperity which distinguishes it. From 

 the interesting ruins of Ludlow Castle a view is obtained of a 

 considerable portion of Corve Dale. It spreads beneath this 

 venerable castle like a carpet of vei'dure of the richest character, 

 and the luxuriance of vegetation at once strikes the beholder with 

 the feelinof that he is viewinsr one of the most fertile of our 

 English vales. 



