26 NOTES. 



soils, because sudden rains are not so apt to enlarge the furrows, and to wast 

 the soil. This plan has been adopted in America. 



267 Derbyshire Report, vol. ii. p. 235. 



268 Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. ii. p. 25 L 



269 See the substance of a Communication from William Cuningham, Esq. 

 of Lainshaw, in Ayrshire, upon this subject, Husbandry of Scotland, vol. i. 

 p. 67. 



270 Mr Blaikie, in his Observations on the Economy of Farm-yard Manure, 

 and on other Rural Subjects, has discussed the formation and improvement of 

 roads, with his usual ability ; and Mr London M' Adam's exertions, are of such 

 importance for promoting these objects, that they cannot fail to make a new 

 era in the History of Road-making. 



CHAP. III. 



1 All soils, by being cropped, have their fertility more or less diminished, and, 

 in process of time, cease to be any longer productive. Hence the necessity of 

 renewing their powers by manures of various descriptions. Some lands have 

 borne crops of corn for a number of years, without their showing any signs of 

 exhaustion ; but such soils have, in general, something peculiar in their situa- 

 tion, composition, or subsoil, or the ingredients of which they are composed, as 

 to give them so peculiar a property. 



2 Communication by John Middleton, Esq. 



3 Coventry's Discourses, p. 101. 



4 The extent of peat soil in Ireland is very considerable. The following is 

 its estimated amount : 



English acres. 



1 . Flat red bog, capable of being converted to the general pur- ? 



poses of agriculture, $ 1,576,00' 



2. Peat soil covering mountains, capable of being improved for ^ 



pasture, or beneficially applied to the purposes of plan- C 1,255,000 

 tation, 3 



Total, 2,831,000 



See 2d Report, on the State of Disease, &c. in Ireland, printed by the House 

 of Commons, 7th June 1819, Appendix, p. 156. In the Appendix there is 

 a number of valuable hints, on the means of improving the bogs of Ireland, from 

 which the practicability, and the utility of that system, is clearly proved, and the 

 great probability, if not the certainty, that it would be attended with profit. 

 Mr Griffiths junior recommends, as the best rotation for such land, 1. Rape 

 for seed ; 2. Potatoes in drills ; 3. Oats, with grass-seeds ; and, 4. Meadow. 

 This rotation, he is of opinion, would yield as much produce, as would pay for 

 the expense of bringing the lands into a fertile state, and cultivating them after- 

 wards. It is said, (Report, p. 168), that rye is frequently good, when other 

 crops fail. 



Mr Burroughs observes, that since an additional duty has been imposed on 

 foreign rape, that article would pay well ; and no crop is more abundant, or less 

 precarious, on boggy soils. 



5 See Chap. I. Sect. 2. where mention is made of such lands when impro- 

 ved, becoming, under judicious management, perpetual meadows. In regard to 

 manure for such soils, is has been remarked, that the peat, whose texture is the 



