360 
The Making of the Land in England, 
imported root-crops, and the less graceful forms of domesticated 
farm stock. The transformation, though costly, was complex 
and complete. 
We will pass from the centre of England to the north, 
to a tract of high land, the home of the grouse and wild-fowl 
at all seasons, and the outrun during summer for some 
hardy hill stock. The soil itself, not sour or sterile, invited 
the hand of a generous and wealthy improver ; the climate 
indeed suggested caution, but even that hope held out might 
be ameliorated, if the ever-present cold wet in the soil could 
be removed, and the driving blasts and storms be broken by 
stone fences and shelters. Though the growth of grain and 
crops in rotations was admittedly out of the question, the more 
moderate and simpler enterprise of improving the permanent 
pasture by the removal of the heather, by liming and draining, 
seemed to offer a fair prospect of return for the outlay. 
The moor in question contained 5750 acres, for the most 
covered with heather, and before the improvement was excellent 
grouse ground. The portion improved was originally the best 
part of the moor, and comprises 656 acres. The reclamation 
was carried out about thirty years ago, and at that time the 
rent of the whole moor was 200Z. a-year, or 8(f. per acre all over ; 
while the value of the better portion selected for reclamation 
might be taken to have been Is. an acre. The undertaking, 
which extended over a period of fourteen years, consisted 
in draining, liming, stone-fencing, building cattle-sheds for 
shelter, and water-weiring, that is, protecting the banks of 
streams by stones or wattling: — 
£ s. d. 
The draining cost 5,587 4 0 
Liming 8,255 16 4 
Fencing G16 7 5 
Water-weiring 224 2 2 
Cattle-sheds 517 4 1 
Sundries 790 0 3 
Total £15,990 14 3 
From the above it appears that these simple operations cost no 
less than 24/. Is. Qd. per acre. There was nothing unusual or 
fanciful in their character ; they consisted solely in removing 
the superabundant water from the soil by draining, in keeping 
the torrents within bounds, in sweetening and improving the 
pasture by lime, in enclosing with walls built of stone found 
on the spot, and in erecting shelter for the animals brought on 
to graze. Thousands of other acres have been thus reclaimed 
from time to time. For some years the whole moor was kept in 
