Farming of Lancashire. 



29 



As maybe imagined, it is not difficult to let such land: an 

 instance of the value in which it is held occurred not long ago 

 on a property adjoining that of Mr. Ffrance. A man of the 

 name of Fawcett took a farm of 36 customary acres (about 60 

 statute) for 737. per annum, and sublet 12 of the 36 at 6/. per 

 acre, thereby keeping for his own use and occupation 24 custo- 

 mary acres, at a rental of one pound per annum. 



Another man, who came as labourer from Chat-moss a few 

 years ago, and is commonly known as " Chat-moss Joe," now holds 

 a farm under Miss Harrison, at 70/. a year, and the value of the 

 whole 736 acres belonging to Mr. Ffrance may, on the lowest 

 calculation, be estimated at the annual rental of 11. per acre, 

 which, on an outlay of 7000/., is rather more than 10 per cent. 

 The moss, when reclaimed, is let in lots by ticket, subject to 

 certain conditions, one of the most important of which is, that the 

 tenant shall keep the divisional ditches open on the side and ends 

 of his allotment, to the full width of 6 feet at the top and 4 feet 

 in depth ; and in case of failure, the landlord to have the right 

 to re-enter. Not longer ago than the 19th of December last year, 

 an allotment of 2 a. 2r. 5 p., of customary measure, equal to 

 about 4 statute acres, was let by Mr. Ffrance for 8/. per annum ; 

 and for another, rather less, as much as 12/. was offered; — such 

 is the competition for this kind of land during the present value 

 of potatoes. 



But Mr. Ffrance is not content with draining the moss itself; 

 he also makes it subservient to the draining of the lands adjacent. 

 In a letter to the editor of the 6 Mark- Lane Express/ dated 

 January 1st, 1840, he describes the process of making turves 

 from the moss, which in a clayey subsoil were found to answer 

 almost as well as tiles. He says, " The turves are cut from the 

 peat where the moss cuts fibrous and tough, which usually may 

 be 6 or 8 spits deep : below that depth lies a blackish-brown turf, 

 the moss being in a more advanced state of decomposition, and 

 such is not considered so well adapted for making draining-turves." 

 The turves are cut with a spade made with sides 12 inches long, 

 the sides 5 inches in depth — 7 inches wide at the top, and taper- 

 ing to 6 inches wide at the bottom. 



" The expenses of completing the turves ready for use have hitherto 

 been — 



s. a. 



Cutting the draining-turf . . 2 0 per thousand. 

 Wind -rearing ditto to dry . . 0 3 

 Stacking ditto . . . 0 6 ,, 



Total .... 2 9 

 In consequence of the moss drying up, and some becoming shapeless, 28 

 turves upon an average will drain a rood of 7 yards: the cost of the 28 

 turves being (at 2s. 9d. per thousand) nearly lrf." 



