On the Agricultural Improvements of Lincolnshire. 291 
meut by embanking and draining has been ten years efFecling. 
This is a vast work, which in the whole lias drained, enclosed, 
built, and cultivated between 20 and 30 square miles of country. 
Its produce before was very small ; letting for not more than 1^. 6c/. 
an acre, but now from 1 Is. to 17s. an acre." Of another fen, Mr. 
YoAng says, — " Deeping Fen, which extends most of the 1 1 miles 
from that town to Spalding, is another capital improvement by 
draining. Twenty years ago the lands sold for about 3/. an 
acre ; some was then let at Is. or 8,v. an acre, and a great deal 
more was in such a state that nobody would rent it : now it is in 
general worth 20s. an acre, and sells for 20/. an acre." After men- 
tioning other operations, he says, — " These, when carried to such 
an extent, are great works, and reflect the highest credit on the 
good sense and energy of the proprietors. Without going back 
lo very remote periods, there cannot have been less than 150,000 
acres drained and improved, on an average, from 5i'. an acre to 
25,y." Still, however much the last generation may have exerted 
themselves in these marshes, there remained enough to be done 
by our own ; for Mr. Stone, in the year following the Report to 
the Board of Agriculture, writes thus: — " There are upwards of 
300,000 acres at this time (1800) in Lincolnshire suffering at 
least, on an average, 300,000/. a-year for want of an efficient 
drainage, which might be carried into effect for one or two years' 
improved value; and upon the borders of the county nearly the 
same quantity, connected with it, capable of the same improve- 
ment by similar means." This statement was certainly well 
calculated to stimulate the men of Lincolnshire, and I Ijelieve 
that it iias been well responded to by them in the forty years 
which have since passed. I cannot say to what extent, but must 
mention some of the leading improvements. The first attack was 
made upon a tract of 40,000 acres, containing the Wildmoor, the 
West and East Fens ; the last of which had been thus described 
by Mr. Young: — "Sir Joseph Banks had the goodness to order a 
boat and accompanied me into the heart of this fen, which in this 
wet season had the appearance of a chain of lakes, bordered by 
great crops of reed. .It is in general from 3 to 4 feet deep in 
water, and in one place, a channel between two lakes, 5 to 6 ; 
the bottom a blue clay under a loose black mud, 2 to '2\ feet 
deep." The description was certainly not very inviting, but these 
difficulties were overcome by the late Mr. Rennie ; the water was 
drawn off", the loose black mud settled down into fertile soil, the 
boat disappeared, the plough took its place ; and, though the 
expenses had been estimated at 400,000/., or 10/. an acre, such 
was the land produced, that, after being pared and burnt, it 
yielded two or even three crops of oats in succession, of not less 
than 10 quarters an acre, and its value was rated at 2,000,000/., 
