66 



cost to improve a given area by the process I lay down ; 



for although the expense of my small drains might soon 



be determined, the number of them required is perpetually 



varying with the nature of the ground. 



Ashes, our grand fertilizing- material, / Jcnoiv, in fa- 

 vourable ground (and all moory mountains are such) will 



not cost more than threepence per cart-load. 



I am unwilling- entirely to give up limey it is so encou- 

 raging to the kindly grasses, and particularly to the 

 smallest of the clover tribe, known to be most grateful 

 to all cattle ; and the certainty of such herbage instantly 

 following lime, is well known by the experiment perpetually 

 made, of scattering some lime on a peaty mountain, to 

 show that the place will immediately be covered with white 

 clover. 



How far we can avail ourselves of this costly material 

 in our great area, is for the experimentalist to determine ; 

 he is, by trying different quantities of this most divisible 

 manure, to find what is the smallest quantity that will pro- 

 duce a sensible effect, and then the actual reclaimer must 

 consider if even this quantity be within his reach ; while 

 we know that ashes alone, at threepence per cart, will give, 

 pure or in compost, a good stimulating top-dressing on 

 very reasonable terms. 



Is not this the moment for us to ascertain all these 

 doints? — whether our cold wet grassy mountains be 

 actually capable of receiving a considerable degree of im- 

 provement? — and whether that improvement is to be at- 

 tained by the measures I recommend? — and whether 

 these can be executed at an expense that will be amply 

 repaid by success ? 



Calculations and estimates before-hand, often prove 

 erroneous when they come to be tried, and the expense 

 resulting very different from what was promised : let us 



