]6(> Cultivating and Improving Wastes. 



and the land being thus sooner brought into cultivation than 

 by any other process, that plan ought to be preferred ( 55 ). 

 2. That in an elevated situation, and a bleak climate, rye 

 ought to be the first crop ( 56 ). 3. That potatoes is the most 

 productive crop, provided long dung could be spared. 4. 

 That lime materially assists in decomposing vegetable sub- 

 stances, and ameliorating the soil ; and, 5. That when such 

 lands are laid down with artificial grass-seeds, it is most ad- 

 visable to pasture the grass, and not to convert it into hay. 



The exertions made for the improvement of Chat-moss, 

 in the county of Lancaster, do credit to the zeal and ability 

 of the late Mr Roscoe, so well known as a distinguished li- 

 terary character. This tract contains about 2500 acres, en- 

 tirely composed of peat, from ten to thirty feet deep. The 

 drainage was begun in November 1805, but it was not till 

 the year 1809, that any crops were raised, and these were 

 restricted to about 20 acres of oats and turnips. In the suc- 

 ceeding year, 80 acres were cropped, of which 20 were wheat; 

 and it soon appeared that, under a judicious system, abun- 

 dant crops of wheat, beans, oats, potatoes, and clover might 

 be expected ( 57 ). 



Mr Roscoe has given a statement of the expense of im- 

 proving and cropping an acre of Chat-moss, in 1812, with 

 its produce. The expenses, including 20 tons of Manches- 

 ter manure, for which, and its conveyance, L.5 are charged, 

 amount in all to L.20, 7s. per acre. He states, that the 

 crops, with the value of the straw, repaid the full expense 

 the first year, the price of grain being high ; but even at 

 more moderate rates, there can be no doubt, that the money 

 expended in the improvement may be speedily returned. 



Mr Roscoe considers calcareous manure as essential to 

 the improvement of peat-moss. As the quantity of lime 

 necessary for that purpose is so small, in proportion to that 

 of marl, where the distance is great, and the carriage high, 

 it is more advisable to make use of the former substance ; but 

 where marl is upon the spot, and can be obtained in suffi- 

 cient quantities, at a reasonable expense, the use of it ap- 

 pears to be preferable. 



The result of Mr Roscoe's experiments is, that all tem- 

 porizing expedients are fallacious ; and that there is no 

 effectual method of improving peat-bogs, or moss land, but 

 by the application of calcareous substances, in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to convert the moss into a soil, and by the occasional use of 

 animal or other extraneous manures, such as the course of cul- 

 tivation, and the. nature of the crops, may be found to require ( 58 ). 



