272 
Reclaiminrj of Waste Lands. 
instances caused a g^reat increase in the comforts and luxuries of 
the human race. These facts are of themselves encouraging to 
everyone whose thoughts turn towards agricultural improvements. 
Did space permit, perhaps it would be interesting to inquire the 
reason why, in the present day, we have any waste land in 
England, and why it is that some of the surplus capital of this 
great country, which appears to flow so freely towards any new 
scheme that offers the slightest chance of profit, has not been 
applied on a very large scale to the thousands of acres that at 
present lie almost barren and uncared for. According to the 
best authorities on the subject, there are in the British Islands 
some 20,000,000 acres of waste land ! Of this number 4,000,000 
aci'es are said to be capable of profitable cultivation by plough 
or spade, and 8,000,000 acres, though not likely, in consequence 
of their peculiar situation, ever to bear coi'u with advantage, 
might still be rendered fit for the pasturage of cattle and sheep. 
Such being the case, perhaps, an account of what has recently 
been done in the way of reclaiming a large tract of land belong- 
ing to the Crown, may have a general interest, and may pos- 
sibly stimulate some owner of waste land to commence such a 
work of improvement himself, or by a long lease and liberal 
covenants, to induce an enterprising tenant to embark the neces- 
sary capital on a similar undertaking. 
In the year 1853 an Act of Parliament was passed for the 
(lisafforestment of the ancient forest of Wichwood. Under this 
Act a considerable tract of land has been reclaimed ; and it is the 
object of the following pages to describe the various operations 
by which one large ])ortion of this land (the Queen's allotment) 
was brought into cultivation ; to give an account of the expenses 
incurred ; to make some remarks on this clearance in particular, 
and also some additional observations on the reclamation of land 
generally. 
Wichwood Forest and tlie Disafforestmcnt Act. — By referring 
to a map of Oxfordshire, the reader will see a large portion of 
the S.W. corner marked Wichwood. It was a Royal Ibrest, ahd 
comprised an area of 3778 acres. It was stocked with deer 
(principally the fallow deer), and was subject to the rights of ' 
the Crown, the hereditary Ranger, and a number of commoners, 
in the year 1853, when an Act was passed for its disafl'orestment. 
Three Commissioners were appouited to carry it into effect ; 
they were Mr. Serjeant Channel 1 {novf one of the Barons of the 
Exchc(|uer), Francis (^illoy Martin, l']sq., and Nathan Wetherell, 
Escj. These gentlemen appointed Mr. Thomas Smi-th Woolley 
as their valuer, and Mr. William Brian Wood, of Chipjienliam, 
Wilts, as their surveyor. John Clutton, Esq., of Whitehall 
