160 Cultivating and Improving Wastes. 



has been found very expensive, (as high as from L.40 to L.5Q, 

 and some cases L.I 00 per acre); but one-half of the expense 

 has often been repaid by the sale of the stones for paving, 

 or building; and, in the vicinity of the city of Aberdeen, 

 the land has afterwards let for L.5 per acre ( 38 ), by which 

 the expense has been indemnified. Land, however, not at- 

 tended with peculiar difficulties, may be trenched at from 

 L.8 to L.10 per acre, and even for less ( 39 ). If delved on- 

 ly about ten or twelve inches deep, the expense will not ex- 

 ceed L.3 per acre. 



3. Deep ploughing. This method of improving land, is 

 applicable to poor clays, covered with heath or furze, and 

 rather wet and stony. The under stratum of such clays, 

 being uncommonly obstinate, it requires at least four, and 

 sometimes six strong horses to make a furrow of sufficient 

 depth. Care also should be taken, to lay the sod or turf as 

 flat on its back as possible, for fifteen or eighteen months, in 

 order that it may be thoroughly rotted. When the soil is 

 dry, lime may be spread upon the surface, and allowed to re- 

 main in that state for two years, previous to its being again 

 ploughed. By these means, considerable tracts of waste 

 land have been rendered capable of regular cultivation. But 

 this is a tedious and expensive mode of accomplishing the 

 object. 



The most extraordinary improvement by ploughing, was 

 made by the late Mr Barclay of Ury. The implements he 

 used were uncommonly strong, and he employed six, and 

 sometimes eight powerful horses in the draught. He made 

 the plough to descend, in spite of every obstruction, sixteen 

 or seventeen inches at once; and after carrying off' the stones, 

 which were turned up as if from a quarry, he repeated these 

 operations, till in the end he obtained a free soil, cleared of 

 stones, twelve or fourteen inches deep, and fit for every 

 agricultural purpose. Sometimes a thousand cart-loads of 

 stones were removed from one acre, and the surface of the 

 land was evidently lowered several inches before the improve- 

 ment was completed ( 4 ). So great an expense could hard- 

 ly be indemnified. Where only small patches of stony land 

 are in a field, it may be proper to clear them of stones ; but 

 as a general mode of improving extensive moors, it is not 

 to be recommended. 



4. Covering the surface with Earth, fyc. In England, this 

 mode of improvement has been practised, not only in regard 

 to bogs, but also light sandy soils. 



