168 Cultivating and Improving Wastes. 



The following tables will give some idea, of the impor- 

 tance of this great national resource, 1. In Ireland ; and, 2. 

 In Great Britain. 



1. Ireland. The whole extent of Ireland, is calculated by 

 Mr Nimmo, at 12 millions of Irish acres', which he clivides 

 as follows : 



No. of Irish acres. 



1. Tillage land, 8,500,000 



2. Bog, 2,000,000 



3. Uncultivated mountain, , 1,500,000 



Total, 12,000,000 



2. Great Britain. In this island, as appears from the fol- 

 lowing estimate, the proportion of waste land is still more con- 

 siderable. 



No. of acres. 



\. Extent of land brought into a state of perfect cultivation, .... 5,000,000 

 2. Lands cultivated, but capable of additional improvement, 46,000,000 



51,000,000 



Waste lands fit for tillage, 3,000,000 



Ditto, capable of being converted into water meadows, 1,000,000 



Ditto, into upland pasture, 13,000,000 



Ditto, into plantations, 3,000,000 



Ditto, unfit for planting or any other improvement, 2,000,000 



22,000,000 



Total acres, 73,000,000 



I cannot conclude this important subject, without remark- 

 ing, that the improvement of our wastes, must be greatly faci- 

 litated, by the use of bone-dust. It is now ascertained, 

 that a small quantity of that manure, which can be conveyed 

 at a trifling expense to any distance, will raise large crops 

 of drilled turnips, by the skilful consumption of which, great 

 quantities of manure may be obtained. Our waste lands 

 may thus be easily supplied with that great source of fertili- 

 ty ; and already, (by means of that manure), extensive tracts 

 of Wolds, or High-lands, in Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and 

 other districts, have been improved. (See Addenda, No. 

 XIV.) 



Another recent discovery, namely, that the application of 

 sulphuric acid converts lime into gypsum, may also prove 

 of essential importance. This circumstance cannot fail to 

 produce great additional improvements in our waste lands, 

 as that description of manure, is so peculiarly favourable to 

 the growth of clover. 



