

GORSE UNDER-DRAINING. 207 



wicker frame. It is easily carried on one arm, and forms a usual 

 part of a salmon-fisher's equipment in Wales. 



In the afternoon J. and I walked on to Church Stretton, thir- 

 teen miles ; our road, most of the way, through a level valley, 

 with high, naked, bleak hills on each side. A man joined us who 

 had been most of his life a miller, and had lately rented a sheep- 

 walk of sixty-three acres on one of these hill-tops, or, rather, 

 mountain-tops. They are to all appearance totally barren, except 

 of gorse, and he said he could only stock at the rate of one and a 

 half sheep to the acre. 



Gorse (furze or whins) is an evergreen shrub, growing about 

 three feet high, rough, thorny, prickly ; flourishes in the poorest, 

 dryest land, where, if it gets possession, it is extremely difficult 

 to eradicate. It is sometimes used as a hedge plant, and for that 

 purpose is planted thickly on high ridges. In some parts of 

 England fuel is made of it, and when bruised by powerful 

 machines made for the purpose, it forms palatable and nutritious 

 food for horses and cattle. Hereabouts, however, we could not 

 learn that it was made of any use, or regarded otherwise than as 

 a weed. Half the surface of the hills was overgrown with it. 



A strange story has been told me of the effect of draining on 

 soils of this sort. A considerable estate, mainly on the tops of 

 such hills, having come into possession of a friend of my inform- 

 ant, he immediately commenced under-draining it in the most 

 thorough and expensive manner. The whole country thought 

 him crazy. " Why ! the hills were too dry already the man 

 was throwing away his money;" and his family interposed with 

 expostulation and entreaty to check what they deemed a ruinous 

 and disgraceful "folly." But he patiently carried it on, and 

 waited the result ; which was, that the increased rental in a very 

 short time more than paid for the whole outlay, and the actual 

 value of the land was trebled. 



