Farming of Lincolnsliire. 



353 



with hollow-draining; in one manual operation. The drains are 

 cut to the depth of 3 feet 6 inches, or 4 feet, and made 12 inches 

 wide at the bottom in order to get a large quantity of the white 

 marl to throw out upon the surface of the land. The clay from 

 these trenches is spread over the field, and when it has become 

 thoroughly incorporated with the soil, which is not the case during 

 the first season after its application, a very considerable increase 

 of productiveness is the result, accompanied by an alteration of 

 the land that renders it easy to be kept clean. 



That portion of the central district which lies near the Fens, and 

 stretches between the VVithamand the neighbourhood of Wragby, 

 was anciently a tract of woodland and sandy waste. There are 

 still extensive woods in the parishes of Revesby, Mareham, 

 Tumby, &c., remains of the ancient forest named Tumby 

 Chace;" and also in Bardney, Stainfield, Barlings, and many 

 other parishes. 



North of Tattershall is a wide sterile tract called Tower Moor, 

 which was divided among the surrounding parishes about 90 

 years ago. A part of the moor allotments has been inclosed and 

 reduced to cultivation ; but much remains open in its wildness 

 and desolation of heath and ling. Beneath the light sand and 

 gravel, at a considerable depth, generally about 12 feet, is the 

 Oxford clay, forming a valuable bed for admixture with the peaty 

 sand on the surface. The expense of excavating it is doubtless 

 the main drawback to an extended use of it upon the moor. On 

 the portions cultivated the usual system of cropping is, 1. turnips, 

 2. barley or oats, 3. seeds, 4. wheat. 



Northward of Market Rasen, through Holton-le-Moor, and 

 between Caistor and Kelsey, is a tract of light sand which formed 

 large rabbit warrens until a few years ago ; the banks of sand- 

 sods and the furze-fencing, which crowns them, still testifying of 

 its late condition and predatory occupants. Some parts of it have 

 been brought under turnip culture, but large tracts are com- 

 pletely sterile and bare, whilst other portions have been covered 

 with plantations, viz., of thriving Scotch firs and larches amongst 

 a thick underwood of gorse. A square of it belonging to Caistor, 

 Nettleton, Clixby, Searby, Grasby, Kelsey, &c., was viewed by 

 loung at the close of last century; and he states that these 

 moory commons were reported to him to be so bad as not to be 

 worth cultivating, but on examining them I found them miser- 

 ably pared for fuel ; the moor is not good, but would pay well 

 for inclosing and cultivating." By the powers of an act passed 

 in 1798 the inclosure took place ; and the long lines of planta- 

 tion are now fenced from fields arable and pasture, and from 

 straight and good roads, by neat and well-grown quicks. As this 

 tract is low and level, and by numerous water-courses transmits 



