PLAINS OF THE ELBE AND WESER, ETC. 



273 



annually, and that the vegetable matter destroyed in this manner or carried away 

 by tlie wind amounted to several thousand tons. Societies have consequently been 

 formed to agitate against this wasteful practice, which has virtually been pro- 

 hibited in many districts. Intelligent agriculturists have introduced the Dutch 



Fig. 156. — Papenburg. 

 Scale 1 : 170,000. 



2 Miles. 



method of cultivating bog lands. They carefully drain the land, then remove the 

 layer of vegetable matter until they reach the bottom, which they cultivate like 

 any ordinary field. The peat is removed in barges which navigate the larger 

 drainage canals. In this manner small oases are being formed in the midst of 

 91 



