The Farming of Westmorland. 
•35 
portions now in liand Mr. Brogden is trying various sorts of 
arable crops, but the operations are not yet far enough advanced 
to decide whether ploughing or grazing is the more profitable on 
land of this nature. 
Many persons in different parts of the kingdom doubtless 
remember the cold and cheerless ride which, before the days of 
railways, tra,vcllers encountered over the; dreary mountain waste 
of Shap Fell, a large tract of about GOOO acres, the pro})erty 
of the Earl of Lonsdale. No operation, in recent times, better 
deserves record than the extensive drainage, liming, and other 
improvements recently carried out there by his lordship. 
The portions operated upon are from 1200 to 1600 feet 
above the sea-level. This ground was previously, in Westmor- 
land phrase, mere " room out of doors," i.e. of insignificant 
value, carrying little beyond grouse and black-faced sheep, but 
never looked upon as capable of, or worth improvement. The 
design of draining and liming this class of land at such an eleva- 
tion was thought by many a costly and hazardous experiment. 
In some measure an experiment it undoubtedly was, there being 
no previous guide to point out what could, and what could not, 
be successfully and profitably accomplished. 
Interspersed with the heath, with the advantage of being inter- 
sected by good roads (the old and new great north turnpikes), were 
considerable stretches of " white land," i.e. producing decent grass 
with bent and rushes, while still better pasturage was found in 
the grassy and sheltered dells and dishes. The upper portion 
of the Fell is naturally a mountain sheep-walk and grouse 
ground, and must remain so. 
Under the skilful superintendence of Mr. Parkes the first 
operation was to tile-drain the wet portions, and this was carried 
on from year to year, advancing higher and higher up the hill 
side, till upwards of 1200 acres were drained. Limestone being 
on the ground, kilns were built, and about 1500 acres have been, 
limed. The lower lying, sweeter, and limed portions were 
enclosed with six-feet walls, and sheds erected in suitable situa- 
tions for sheltering stock. 
Numerous were the hostile critics and foreboders of failure ; 
any attempt to invade these regions in such a way being con- 
trary to all previously received opinion and precedent. Some 
parts of the work doubtless might have been better done, and 
with the experience gained would be done differently if started 
afresh. The returns may not have been so certain and uniform 
as in more favoured situations, but on the whole the result is a 
great success, and beyond expectation. 
The ground Avas partly stocked with the proprietor's cattle and 
sheep (bought on in the spring, and sold off by auction in 
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