224 Reclamation of Bog and Moorland in Galway. 
A careful inspection of this grass early in June showed that all the finer 
grasses had failed ; the only grass then growing was the Yorkshire fog 
(^IIolcus lanatus), an inferior natural grass commonly found on poor moorland. 
Many rushes were growing between the drains, which were evidently too far 
apart. The crop of hay was 1 ton per acre. 
The 10 acres below the road were i^loughed in 1874 ; turf-drained in 1875, 
40 feet apart and 3 feet deep ; sown with oats in 1876 and again in 1877, 
grass-seeds being sown with the second crop. 
It will be noticed that the ploughing in this field preceded the draining ; 
this can only be done with advantage where the ground is firm. The ploughing 
cost 35s. per acre and the drains 52s. per acre for digging, and 26s. for sodding 
and covering. The oats in 1876 were a bad crop. The crop growing in June 
1877 looked very thin and poor, partly from want of lime and partly from 
■the drains being too far apart. The crop was cut green and made into hay. 
No. 23. Tdegraph Hill, 29 a. 3 r. 28 p.— At the south end of this field there 
•are 4 acres above the lower road, which have recently been turf-drained 4 feet 
deep and 21 feet apart; the digging by contract cost 11?. 16s. Sodding and 
filling by day-work cost 5?. 8s., a total cost of 4/. 6s. per acre. 
Between these 4 acres and the upper road there are two pieces of 6 acres 
each, cropped respectively with oats and turnips. 
The 6 acres on the west were, in 1875, ploughed, harrowed, and drained, but 
received no lime or dung. In 1876 the land was ridged by hand, at a cost of 
13?. 10s., and top-dressed with nearly 5 cwt. per acre of a mixture of guano 
and Lawes's turnip manure ; 28 cwt. was applied to the 6 acres, at a cost of 
8s. Qd. per cwt. ; turnips were then sown ; the first thinning cost 4s. and the 
second 3s. per acre. The crop, about 20_tons per acre, was carted oS the land. 
In 1877 the land was ploughed by bullocks at 10s. per acre, and harrowed. 
Oats were sown and top-dressed with ^ cwt. nitrate of soda, and I5 cwt. Lawes's 
manure, at a cost of 20s. per acre. The seed sown was 12 stone to the statute 
acre, and is believed not to have been sufficient for newly reclaimed land. 
The crop looked thin in June ; it yielded 8 cwt. oats and 16 cwt. of straw per 
acre. 
The 6 acres on the east have been cropped thus : — 
1875. Ploughed, drained, and limed. 
1876. Oats, top-dressed with 1 cwt. guano and 2j cwt. superphosphate, yielded 
a fair crop. The land was then ploughed and harrowed. In the spring of 1877 
it received a half-dressing of dung, and was then ridged by hand-labour ; 
this occupied 11 men for three weeks, and cost 13?. 8s. Id. The dung was 
carted to the side of the field, and carried out by girls in basinets upon 
their backs in the way that is usual in the district. 22 cwt. of '.fertilizers, 
costing 8s. 6c?. per cwt., were applied as a toivdressing over the piece, and it 
was then sown with turnips. The crop was estimated by Mr. MacAUister at 
fully 12 cwt. per acre. 
Immediately above the upper road, 3 a. Ir. were manured in 1874 with 
sea-sand, except a small strip which received a dressing of lim« instead of 
sand. Sand was delivered by contract at Is. per load, and 10 loads were put 
to the acre. The lime did not show so well as the sand for the first year, but 
has had a greater cftcct since. 
The cropping has been, 1875 and 1876, oats ; 1877, turnips. Above the 
turnips there are 6 acres in grass, 3 acres of which were sown in 1875, and 
the other 3 acres in 1876. The cultivation of the first sown portion has been 
in — 
1874. Drained 40 feet apart and ploughed by pair of horses. 
1875. In June, limed with 150 bushels per acre. Harrowed with Howard's 
harrows, and then chopped with spades, 10 men working two days, at a cost 
of 30s. Sown witli ra]jo and grass seeds covered by a chain harrow. 
1876. Cut green for bullocks, a good crop ; part cut a second time. 
