448 On the Reclamation of Peat-Land in the Netherlands. 
road, and to lay out the land in building plots on each side of 
the canal, which also will continue their own property, and yield 
an increasing revenue in tolls. The importance ot' these con* 
siderations will be better understood after a study of the short space 
devoted presently to a description of the Groningen " Colonies." 
Area under Cultivation. — At present about 200 acres are cul- 
tivated by the Company, and an equal area by the labourers 
and officers. The stationary population numbers about 400, of 
whom between 200 and 300 (including men, women, and chil- 
dren) work on the estate. In the summer large numbers of 
work-people come from North flolland and from Germany 
to dig peat, and make up the total number to between 700 
and 800. 
Mode of Reclamation. — The mode of reclamation of the peat- 
land is as follows : — After a certain depth of peat has been 
taken out — generally from 3 to 6 feet — a layer of sand, 3 to 
4 inches thick is mixed with the replaced surface-soil by means 
of the spade, and a heavy dressing of street-manure is given ; 
and each succeeding year the land is cultivated to a slightly 
greater depth. Manure, sand, labour, &c., cost about 20/. per 
acre ; but after five years' culture agricultural land is considered 
to have paid all its expenses, and to remain as property acquired 
for nothing. In some parts of the estate the layer of peat is 
very thick, but it rarely pays to take it out to a greater depth 
than 6 feet. In many cases, therefore, the undisturbed peat 
remains the subsoil, and acts like a sponge, retaining moisture 
for the roots of the plants when those roots descend in search of 
it, but at the same time never becoming super-saturated, as any 
excess flows off into the adjoining ditches, which here, as in 
other peat-reclamations, are an essential part of the system. 
About twenty-five acres per annum are added to the cultivated 
area, the limit being imposed by the want of hands to reclaim 
a larger acreage. 
Tobacco. — Of the 200 acres of reclaimed peat-land cultivated 
by the Company, forty acres are cropped continually with tobacco. 
Although always grown on the same land, the broad ridges of 
one year (carrying two rows of plants) become the equally broad 
trenches of next year. The manure used is sheep-dung, with 
very little straw amongst it, and the value of the annual dressing 
is estimated at 10/. per acre. It is put in the trenches in the 
spring, and then the land from the ridges of the previous year, 
and always a little more of the peaty subsoil, are turned over to 
make the ridges of the next year. 
Tobacco-plants are raised in frames, covered with oiled 
paper, and are planted out towards the end of May. The 
leaves are harvested by plucking them two or three times, the 
