IMPROVEMENT OF PEAT LANDS. 41 



shown by the land being soon filled with moles, which are 

 drawn to it by the decayed vegetable matter producing worms, 

 the food of moles.&quot; 



&quot; In Craven, in Yorkshire, lime is employed very extensively, 

 as a top-dressing, even upon a limestone soil. I have found that 

 cattle feed upon pasture, well top-dressed with lime, much 

 quicker, and that the meat is much richer and better mixed, than 

 upon pastures equally productive of herbage.&quot; 



4. RULES IN IRELAND FOR REDEMPTION OF BOG. The direc 

 tions given in Ireland for the reclamation of bog under very 

 judicious and successful management, are as follows : 



&quot; The first essential in reclaiming bog lands is, that they 

 should be sufficiently drained. 



&quot; The second, that they should receive an ample covering of 

 clay, soil, or gravel, not less than three or four inches deep. 



The third, that they should be well limed, and that the lime 

 should be applied immediately after being slacked, and mixed 

 with clay ; if lime cannot be had, ashes are a good substitute.*** 

 So soon as the ridges shall have had time to dry, forty barrels of 

 fresh-powdered lime may be applied to the acre, and covered 

 over with clay taken from the trenches.&quot;* 



I believe that a dressing of lime for peat may always be safely 

 recommended ; but the expense would be, in many cases, enor 

 mous, and put its application quite out of question where a pe 

 cuniary return is expected. 



5. APPLICATION OF GRAVEL OR SAND. Other applications are 

 made with success. Common coarse gravel is sometimes ap 

 plied ; but the only effect to be looked for, from such an applica 

 tion, seems to be merely the mechanical division of the soil, and 

 the hardening of the surface. The late Earl Spencer, f a high 

 authority in all agricultural matters, in the improvement of a tract 

 of peaty meadow, which he had drained by means of a steam- 



* Principles for the Reclamation of Bog Land on the Cloghan Estate, by J. P. 

 Kennedy, Esq. 



f The unlooked-for death of this distinguished friend, and active and generous 

 promoter, of agricultural improvement, has been deeply felt, and has left a sen 

 sible void in the agricultural community. To the memory of his personal kind 

 ness, his beautiful simplicity of manners, and his eminent, attractive, and amiable 



4* 



