[ 128 ] 



Survey of Lancashire, p. 52. 



EV MR. JOHN HOLT. 



In this county there are large tracts of Wafte 

 Lands, not lefs than 508,500 acres, according to 

 Mr. Yates's llatement, who took the pains to cal- 

 culate the number for this particular purpofe. He 

 makes the lands, under the denomination of mofs, 

 or fen lands, to be 26,500. Moors, marllies, and 

 commons, to amount to 482,000. Why feek ont 

 diflant countries to cultivate, whilfl; fo much remains 

 to be done at home? 



Many of thefe lands are incapable of, tillage — 

 fome confifl: of mountainous trafts, craggy, fteep, 

 and barren. Thefe are employed for flieep-walks, 

 not the mod fertile ; others of low fwamps, over- 

 charged with flagnate water; from which a fufficient 

 fall has not yet been difcovered for draining. Many 

 of the waftes covered with underwood, and others, 

 have been planted with varieties of forefl-trees. Sir 

 Harry Hoghton purpofes to plant Withnell 

 Moor, a tra£l: of about 800 acres, with fuch trees 

 as, upon trial, fliall be found to agree with the foil. 

 Several parts are allotted out, in what are termed 

 dales, for the purpofe of paring off the furface for 

 fuel — a pernicious practice, which injures the land, 

 and affords but a very indifferent fire. 



There 



