THE UTILISATION OF KAILWAY EMBANKMENTS. 



59 



parochial lands, however unproductive it may be, it seems very 

 strange that where the possibility of profit exists some trial 

 has not been made of economising the railway lands. If some 

 syndicate were to organise a system for the utilisation of the 

 thousands of acres now useless, we venture to prophesy that it 

 would be a commercial success. The lands are certainly of the 

 most varied character, and in the most diverse of situations, so 

 that the proposed vegetation could generally be adapted to the 

 soil to be cultivated. The lands, too, have every advantage of 

 being private property. Trespassers are rigidly prohibited on 

 most lines. The lands are not even of the semi-private character 

 of the sides of canals, where anything eatable would, if missed, 

 be probably ascribed to the predatory instincts of the beasts of 

 burden, rather than to the more omnivorous tastes and prehen- 

 sile habits of the lords and masters of the said beasts. 



We have sometimes wondered how it is that some of the 

 populace who have clamoured for the reclamation of waste 

 lands, without any investigation as to the possibility of grow- 

 ing anything beyond the scantiest herbage, have not long ago 

 cast their eyes over the lines of railway, and demanded some 

 notice of their economical ideas in that direction. One leading 

 statesman suggested "jam-" as a capital investment, and the 

 consequence has been that we have seen fields in Kent and other 

 places turned into Currant orchards. This is only one sample, 

 however, of what may be done. We have seen fields of Violets 

 laid out for the same reason — viz., as a commercial speculation. 



In the hands of a body of competent men who understood, 

 on practical principles, what plants would flourish best in 

 different localities, we have no doubt that success would 

 ultimately crown their efforts, and instead of such enormous 

 importations of fruits, herbs, and flowers, some portion at least 

 could be produced at home. If the project only set a thousand 

 men to work that would be better than nothing ; and if the 

 railway lands were farmed out at but ten shillings an acre, the 

 revenue would be on many railways a considerable item. We 

 need but suggest a few of the many plants which are available 

 for cultivation. The list might certainly include espalier fruit- 

 trees — Apples, Pears, Plums, &c. ; more certainly the shrubby 

 plants, like Gooseberries, Currants, and Easpberries ; and most 

 certainly Strawberries to any amount. None of these would 



