182 
On a variety of Rye as Green Fodder. 
when ripe, that you may be able to compare it with the St. John's- 
day rye you have referred to. 
I have the honour to remain. Sir, 
Your obedient servant, 
Robert Baker. 
Writfle, Essex, May 24, 1845. 
P.S. — I have since weighed a square perch, and find the 
weight to be 12 stones, or 168 lbs. ; and on parts of the field it 
would have weighed at least 200 lbs. Upon an experiment made, 
we found the horses refused altogether to eat it if uncut ; and I am 
so convinced of the economy of this mode of feeding, that I am 
still cutting that of which the larger portion is tares, and shall 
continue to do so until Midsummer. 
iVbte. — It appears to me that Mr. Baker's variety of rye, though equally 
or even more valuable, cannot be the same with the St. John's-day rye, 
because it is earlier than the common rye, whereas Mr. Taunton states 
that the St. John's-day rye, so far from being earlier, is a few days later. 
— Ph. Pusey. 
XVI T. — An Account of Improvement of a Shaking Bog at Meare 
in Somersetshire. By Erasmus Galton. 
I SEND the following account of a very successful reclaiming of 
wet peat bog land, in order to show that it is possible to top- 
dress peat bogs (after draining them) with clay or other soil ; and 
that the clay will not sink and be lost after a few years, as I have 
almost invariably found farmers in this county state to be the case 
when recommended to reclaim their peat lands. Now as I feel 
confident that it will not be found so in practice (if the land is first 
drained), I send you the following account of reclaiming wet bog 
land in the large tract of flat country between Bridgewater and 
Glastonbury, in the county of Somerset, which was commenced in 
the year 1811, and has constantly been going on up to this time. 
The bog is of so soft a nature that a person trotting his horse on 
the tiu-npike road abreast of the land treated of, will see the Water 
in the ditches quite ruffled by the concussion of the horse's feet on 
the road. 
The plans, sections, and table of expenses, are taken from the 
papers of the intelligent agent (Mr. Richard Hammet, of Street, 
Somerset), who was the proposer and entire manager of the im- 
provements, and through whose well-directed perseverance they 
liave been perfected, in spite of the ridicule and opposition that he 
encountered from the resident population, who considered him en.- 
gaged in a mad project, involving the waste of his employer's 
capital. 
