290 



Farming of Cumberland. 



These rido;es are elevated above the level of the intervenins: 

 plots of moss land, from 2 feet to 30 or 40, and some to 60 feet 

 or more, and vary in the composition of their soils from light 

 sand to strong clay, including a considerable portion of excellent 

 soil, producing, under the liberal farming of its present occu- 

 piers, abundant crops of all descriptions. Tiles are but of recent 

 introduction there, and much draining is yet required. The 

 levels, running " far as the eye can reach," were, till lately, dan- 

 gerous " flowes," or shaking bogs, producing little but heath and 

 peat, and tenanted only by red grouse and wild fowl, it being 

 unsafe to put cattle on them. Considerable progress has been 

 made in draining these, with the scanty fall permitted by the tide, 

 which frequently dams up the drains, and causes great damage. 

 Heavy crops of oats and sown grasses are raised on these partially 

 reclaimed lands, by paring, burning, and liming, in the first in- 

 stance ; and afterwards by the application of clay or sand, as 

 happens to be the most convenient. The Earl of Lonsdale has 

 effected an extensive drainao:e on the neig-hbourino: Bowness 

 " flowe," which previously was not worth Qd. an acre. 



By the energetic measures adopted, the land, which from time 

 immemorial till 1848 was a trembling bog, now produces oats in 

 such abundance as can hardly be credited by people who knew its 

 original state, without witnessing the change. 



Fortunately, the small farm of elevated land, called Rogers- 

 ceugh, and belonging to his Lordship, is situated in a favourable 

 position (being nearly in the centre of the moss land), and is 

 composed of clay. 



As the draining proceeded, and the surface became more firm, 

 the heather was pulled and placed in diverging tracks, alongside 

 of which a portable railway was laid in succession ; and by means 

 of horses, walking on the heather paths, clay from the farm was 

 drawn along the railway and spread on the peaty surface, which 

 was consolidated and improved, so as to bear the most abundant 

 crops of oats. 



The remainder of the Earl of Lonsdale's numerous farms are 

 in progress of being drained on the deep-drain system, with pipes 

 and collars ; and interest charged at the rate of 5 per cent. 



The Earl of Carlisle is rapidly effecting the drainage of his 

 estate, many thousands of acres having been drained without charge 

 to his tenants, beyond the labour of carting the pipes and collars. 

 This labour is light, the pipes being manufactured at different 

 places on the estate, and 1 inch pipes commonly used. On 

 porous soils, 4 feet drains are put in at 15 yards asunder ; and 

 on clay soils, 3 feet drains at 12 yards apart. The clays all con- 

 tain sand veins, more or less, otherwise the distances would be 

 too great. 



