Improvement of Waste Lands. 
323 
trenching, much of the best of the land on the surface probably 
found its way to the bottom of the trench, and grass was sown 
before the new soil had been puc into good condition. 
The growth of cereal crops is out of the question in a climate 
where the rainfall is excessive (amounting even in 1864 to 43*2G 
inches), at an altitude of about 1360 feet, where the summer 
season is short, and harvest weather precarious. All improve- 
ments effected under such circumstances should be done mainly 
with the view of enhancing the pastoral capacity of the land ; the 
more so because I am not aware that any arable rotation, con- 
sisting solely of green crops, has been adopted. To bring the 
land to a high state of cultivation a large proportion requires to 
be trenched ; but, without incurring the heavy expenses thus 
involved, much might be done by draining, liming, and manuring, 
thereby destroying the heather and replacing it with grass. 
With abundance of clay for making tiles and the very best of 
lime, the utmost facilities are afforded for such improvements. 
In many cases, lands might be reclaimed and improved by 
granting allotments to the miners at nominal rents, on condition 
of such lands being put into good order in a manner agreed upon. 
In some instances it may be desirable for the proprietor to make 
some outlay for fencing and a supply of lime, for which he would 
naturally charge interest in the form of increased rent ; but as a 
rule the proprietor should do as little as possible besides giving 
security for a low rent by a lease or agreement for a term of years. 
I have little doubt but that many of the miners of this district 
would be glad of such an opportunity. Their work under- 
ground is not so exhausting as to prevent their settling to some 
real work above ground, and much might be effected by one 
hour's work daily for five days in the week, and five hours, or 
half a day, on Saturday — a holiday underground. Th:^ miner 
would in this work have the assistance of his family, and occu- 
pation of this sort would be likely to prove beneficial by employing 
and training up the younger members to habits of industry when 
not old enough to go out into the world or engage in the less 
healthy labours of the mine. Many of the tasks connected with 
grass land are but light, and the heavier work might be reserved 
for the Saturday. Occupations of this sort give the men some- 
thing more than grooves, ore, lead washing and smelting, to talk 
and think about : in short, they become small farmers as well as 
miners, and, so far as my observations have gone, interest them- 
selves wonderfully in the practice of agriculture ; so that in 
intelligent management of their meadows and stock they com- 
pare favourably with professional farmers in some parts of the 
country. 
Pursuits of this nature have a tendency to prevent intemperance, 
