AND PROTECTION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND. 55 



Some portion of what was formerly slob has gradually and very 

 slowly grassed over. JSTo part has been enclosed, or is ever likely 

 to be. The cost of embanking to keep out the spring tides 

 would be too heavy. Moreover, such land pays best in the short 

 grass which grows on it, impregnated as it is with salt from the 



tidal water." 



The Forth. 



For an interesting account of the enclosures at Tulliallan, on 

 the Forth, I have to refer to the paper by the late Mr William 

 Menzies, in the Society's Transactions, already quoted. The first 

 reclamation, of 152 acres, was completed in 1823. The second, 

 of 220 acres, was completed in 1838. Mr Menzies' paper, which 

 was written in 1838, does not treat of the financial results of 

 these works, and I applied to Mr John Menzies, of Inch farm, to 

 learn if he could throw any light on that branch of the inquiry. 

 In reply to my letter, in speaking of the last made reclamation, 

 of which he has the most knowledge, he says " it cost the estate 

 between L. 18,000 and L.20,000. As a speculation, I am afraid 

 you cannot say it pays. My father did everything in the shape 

 of bringing the land reclaimed under cultivation, and I have 

 heard him express the opinion that it never came to carry crops 

 until it was once properly swarded with grass, and if he had 

 sown it all out at first it would sooner have yielded him some 

 return. It never paid him as a tenant." 



The Tees. 



Two extensive reclamations have been made on the Tees in con- 

 nection with the navigation works of the Eiver Tees Conservancy 

 Commissioners, and Mr Fowler, the engineer of the Commis- 

 sioners, has given me the following information regarding them. 



