54 



which one is, that the seedling bed occupies Imt little 

 space whilst the land is bearing corn ; liy ha\ing the 

 plants growing, there is time to save the corn, and 

 to plough and manure the stubble. 



But the Flemish farmer is not always satislied with 

 the profit on the seed — he generally has an oil mill, 

 the profit of which is very consideralde. Some 

 estabhshments of this kind in the reclaimable bogs 

 and mountains of Ireland, would shortly spread the 

 cultivation of this profitable seed, which in many 

 cases can ]>& grown ^vithout manure, but always on 

 the burnt surface of the ground to be reclaimed ; and 

 by its own refuse (the cakes from which the oil has 

 been squeezed out) is capable of renewing the soil 

 which has produced it, and preparing it for other crops. 

 In mountainous tracts, where limestone is not to be 

 found, but where mill-sites occiu', it might act as 

 a profitable improvement in every branch of its 

 process. 



It is gratifying to learn from the able author whom 

 I am quoting, that Mr. Samuel Garnet, near Kells, in 

 the County of Meath, reclaimed several acres from 

 a marsh (without any manure except the burnt sur- 

 face) by the culture of rape, producing the most lux- 

 uriant crops. His first essay of about 8 acres yielded 

 17 barrels per acre, and sold at 41*. per barrel, mak- 

 ing 34/. 17*. per Irish acre. In the succeeding au- 

 tumn he prepared 38 acres of transplanted rape, which 

 promised still better than that of the former year, and 

 afterwards he had 45 acres of it. This reclaimed 

 marsh had been only useful in the summer months to 

 horses and young cattle. By taking the proper levels, 

 and sinking the river at a considerable cost, Mr. Gar- 

 net has set a spirited example of industry, and now 

 begins to reap the advantage of his enterprise. The 

 manure from which the rape crops are raised in Flan- 

 ders, is urine (with the rape cakes dissolved in it,) 

 and it is saved in the following way : there is a urine 

 cistern formed imder the range of every stable and 



