Farming of Cormmll. 
445 
tbe Land's End district, a large part of which is waste land, 
and would pay an almost immediate profit to the cultivator (70). 
As a proof of this, I have only to state that a very consider- 
able extent has been, and is now in progress of reclaiming 
by cottagers, who obtain small plots of waste, on leases of three 
lives, which they cultivate, and build cottages on them. Land of 
this description, when not very rocky or boggy, may be reclaimed 
at 5/. to 6^. per, acre — fencing not included, which varies ac- 
cording to circumstances. The fences in this district are built 
of granite; and the price for making a piece 18 feet long 
and 5 feet high (double granite wall) varies from 3s. 4f/. to 5s. 
On taking land of this description into cultivation for the first 
time, the cottager does not attempt to grow wheat, but potatoes 
and oats ; in the course of five or six years he introduces barley ; 
and in ten or twelve years, wheat. This practice confirms the 
opinions of Liebig, that wheat will not grow on some soils, how- 
ever rich in " humus : '' the strength of the stalk is due to silicate 
of potash, which is found readily in a granite soil, but the seed 
requires phosphate of magnesia, which is nearly altogether absent ; 
and hence the plant becomes a herb, but it does not bear fruit. 
70. It frequently happens that the first crop of potatoes raised 
on this reclaimed land will more than repay the expenses. I 
witnessed i3 acres of this description of land at Colonel Scobell's 
farm — Botrea — worth from 16Z. to '20Z. per acre. This gentleman 
has been actively engaged for the last 45 years in reclaiming 
these granite wastes. It happened in the year 1804, that a tenant 
on " Leha estate," — 240 acres — was unable to pay the rent — 
90/. per annum. The Colonel commenced cultivating it him- 
self. In 1806 he added 60 acres from the adjoining wastes to 
the estate, and in 1816, when the value of all agricultural pro- 
duce was so considerably reduced from the war prices, he let the 
whole at 420Z. per annum. This was accomplished at an expen- 
diture of 3000Z. Since that period he has reclaimed 150 acres 
more, forming Botrea estate." Let the reader imagine a piece 
of waste, strewed over with granite blocks, some of immense size, 
with heath and furze shooting up between the interstices, at an 
elevation of 600 feet above the sea level, and notwithstanding 
these natural obstacles, I witnessed a short time since on this 
estate of only 150 acres (not many years since reclaimed from 
the Sancreed wastes) 130 head of cattle, Devons and short-horns, 
100 pigs, and 35 horses and colts. The average produce is from 
45 to 60 bushels of oats, from 18 to 21 bushels of wheat — not 
much grown — 300 bushels of potatoes, and from 18 to 25 tons 
of turnips. I merely mention these circumstances to show what 
skill, enterprise, and capital will do, on some of the most exposed 
2 H 2 
