On the Farming of Huntingdon. 
261 
trees of from 10 to 40 feet in length and from G to 18 inclies in 
< drcumference, the remains of a submerged forest. Many of the 
trees are in a good state of preservation : the largest specimens 
lieing principally oak, the smaller kinds red willow and other 
varieties. The removal of these trees costs a considerable sum 
})er acre. The plan Mr. Wells adopts, the first time of culti- 
vating, is to plough each field deeply by horse-power, so as to 
find as many trees as possible, and remove them, in order that 
steam-cultivation may be used for all subsequent operations, 
even to drilling and harrowing in the seed corn. The neces- 
sary implements for these operations are now in course of con- 
struction. 
It must here be observed, however, that deep ploughing is 
objectionable on the clayed land until alter, in the course of 
three or four years, the clay has become thoroughly incorporated 
with the soil, and under these circumstances recourse is had to 
the cultivator, which can be worked at the season most suitable 
to produce required results, and with marked benefit to the 
ultimate crop. 
Mr. Wells has erected commodious and excellent homesteads 
on some of the newly reclaimed farms, but their construction 
was attended with great cost, as all the buildings had to be 
supported on piles ; and even this has not proved satisfactory, 
for although the highest ground has been invariably selected for 
the sites, yet owing to the general subsidence of the surrounding 
district the water level has been in several cases reduced below 
that of the foundations, and where this has occurred the heads of 
the piles have decayed, causing the buildings to diverge from 
the perpendicular, and rendering it necessary, in some instances, 
to renew the piles at a great outlay. On the estate are also 
some very neat labourers' cottages, constructed of wood, the 
walls being formed of feather-edged boards nailed to strong 
posts, and well plastered and finislied inside, while the roofs are 
carefully and substantially tiled. They are pronounced by the 
inmates to be most comfortable. 
A dim idea may be formed of the nature of the soil and the 
difiiculties to be encountered in conducting improvements, from 
the fact that during the period of nineteen years the land has 
subsided 7 feet 3 inches. 
Many of the fen-land farmers are now turning their attention 
to the wintering of sheep in yards. In the early season of 1867 
many farmers, owing to the difficulty and risk attendant on 
the purchasing of beasts, confined themselves entirely to sheep. 
Those Avho have had the greatest experience speak favourably of 
the results ; saying that the manure is better than that made by 
cattle, and the sheep thrive much better than when kept on the 
