M O N I V A. 385 



to ufe the other fort, which are cheaper, and 

 more certain. Another fort of mountain land, 

 is the wet, boggy fort, one to four feet deep, 

 which he improved by digging off almoft all 

 the bog for lime; then ploughed it with fix 

 bullocks, and let it to the poor from a guinea 

 to thirty (hillings an acre, for them to burn, 

 harrow, and plant potatoes; after which they 

 pay as v much more for a crop of oats. Then 

 limes it, takes another crop of oats, and fows 

 graffes with it; after this improvement, lets as 

 well as the other. White marie, from under 

 a bog, Mr. French tried, for improving four- 

 teen acres of dry mountain land; the effect was 

 much the fame as that of lime, but more ex- 

 penfive, from the difficulty of getting it. In 

 the year 1744, when Mr. French came to his 

 eftate, there was no other linen manufacture 

 than a little handle linen, merely for their own 

 confumption, with no other fpinning than for 

 that, and even for this, there w;ts not more 

 than one loom in 100 cabbins. In 1746, he 

 undertook to eftablifh a better fabric, and with 

 more extenfive views. He firif. began by erect- 

 ing (pinning fchools, and fowing flax, twenty- 

 one acres of which he fowed on his own ac- 

 count. t The linen board gave at that time one 

 penny a day to ail children that went to any 

 fpinning fchools, which was of ufe; but the 

 providing flax Mr. French found of the greateft 

 ufe. In 1749, he eftabiiihed eight weavers and 

 their families, and the fame year built a bleach 

 mill, and formed a green, and to C3rry it on 

 to advantage, lent a lad into the north, and 

 Vol. h D d bound 



