98 
Farming of Yorkshire. 
estate by means of embanking. The new land is most valuable, 
and requires little manure for many years ; showing, by the 
natural and luxuriant growth of white clover, the richness of the 
soil, and its capacity for producing the largest crops. In addi- 
tion to Sunk Island, about 400 acres of new accretions have been 
added to Patrington, and a considerable portion to Ottringham, 
Welwick, and other places in the immediate neighbourhood. 
Upwards of 10,000 acres have been so reclaimed and converted 
into valuable farms between the years 1668 and 1850, when the 
last embankment was completed. 
Next to embanking, the warping of the large district extend- 
ing from the Trent and Ouse to Goole, Crowle, Thorne, and 
Selby requires notice, to show that improvements often described 
as combining some of the happiest efforts of human skill still 
go on. Schemes which for want of experience entailed great 
losses upon the original promoters, have ultimately, under better 
management, proved a profitable speculation as well as a public 
benefit. Some of these extensive warping works are now being 
brought to a conclusion ; but another clough of larger dimensions 
has been put down about eight miles above Goole, in the Dutch 
River, by which a large area is likely to be improved between 
Thorne and RawclifTe Common, besides several other doughs in 
the Dutch River and in the rivers Aire and Ouse, annually re- 
warping and enriching the neighbourhood. , 
A great improvement in these private works has been made 
since 1848, prior to which the system of warping was more or less 
crude. The difficulty lay in equalising the deposit ; the irregu- 
larity of which, both in deptli and quality, restricted the value of 
the land when the surface had been sufficiently raised. In the 
land lying nearest the drain, sand predominated, in consequence of 
the greater size and weight of its particles ; further on, sand and 
mud were so mixed as to make a very firm soil ; and the furthest 
portion formed a low-lying, tenacious clay. Under the present 
system, by changing the lines and forcing the water at the outset 
to the lowest and furthest portion of the flat intended to be 
v/arped, the soil is equalised in quality ; for wherever a low and 
strong deposit has been formed, the mischief is in a great 
measure rectified by directing the water over it with a rapid 
current. 
The land takes from two to three years to rewarp according to 
the weather ; if wet, the strong freshes in the river are adverse 
to the deposit ; if dry, the deposit is great, but after a long 
drought it sometimes becomes of too solid a nature, and in that 
case acts prejudicially upon the crops when the land is under i 
cultivation. A singular instance may be given as an illustration 
of this fact. The lands, the warping of which was concluded in 
