Deepinr/ Fen. 



119 



earth, Sec, thrown upon them out of boats. One row is always 

 advanced before the other on that side which will most impede 

 the current of the river ; the tide, in coming up, overflows this 

 weak fence, filling it with warp and making it so strong that the 

 ebb water is unable to remove such an obstacle from its course, 

 and is compelled to dig out a new channel through the sandbank 

 in the intended direction. In this way the faggots are advanced, 

 taking care to keep the scour " side foremost, and a new deep 

 channel is worn by the water. The works have now reached 

 nearly 4 miles in length, and the land on each side the new river 

 will be inclosed by cross-em.bankments, when considered high 

 enough for the purpose. 



The soil of Deeping Fen varies very much, though it is principally 

 peat. At the south-western extremity, abutting upon the high lands of 

 Baston, Langtoft, &c., is a small strip of gravelly soil; next, a breadth 

 of about 3 or 4 miles stretching from the Glen to the Welland, is peat 

 with a subsoil of blue clay ; next comes a tract of peat having a silty 

 subsoil, or lying upon a bed of red heavy clay, which is very good, and 

 as an alterative renders the land very productive ; nearer Spalding and 

 along the river side is a dark loam, having mostly a clay subsoil, in 

 some parts a silty subsoil, in others silt and clay mixed. Near the 

 Wellandis some good grass land, the soil being about a foot of alluvial de- 

 posit resting upon moor, no doubt formed by the overflowings of the stream. 

 Near the western part the land consists of about a foot of black soil 

 above 10 feet of blue clay, which rests upon gravel. 



During the last 12 years hundreds of acres have been wonder- 

 fully benefited by " claying ;" but now there is no need for 

 claying with the spade, as the subsoil, both of silt and clay, is in 

 most places ploughed up and mixed with the peat. In the year 

 1799 Arthur Young writes — "Twenty years ago the lands sold 

 for about 3/. per acre ; some was then let at 7s. or 8^. per acre, 

 and a great deal was in such a state that nobody would rent it ; 

 now it is in general worth 20s. per acre, and sells at 20/. per acre." 

 This great improvement was effected under mill drainage, and at 

 a time when the system of paring and burning for oats, coleseed, 

 and rye was in fashion ; the same land now, in consequence of 

 steam drainage and claying, has doubled in value, the average 

 rental of Deeping Fen being about 35s., and a great deal is let 

 at 2/. per acre. 



The rotation of crops is generally a four or five-field system, viz. — 

 1st, coleseed (turnips, mangold wurzel, and carrots are exceedingly 

 good, but coleseed is most common) ; 2nd, wheat ; 3rd, clover or seeds ; 

 and 4th, wheat; or when oats are grown they are a last crop, thus, 

 5th, oats. Nearly half the fallow is sown to wheat, the other part is 

 usually 2ncl, oats; 3rd, wheat ; 4th, seeds ; 5tli, wheat; when beans 

 are grown, which is seldom, they are a first crop in the place of oats. 

 Occasionally, to improve the land with grasses, the course is, 1st, cole- 



