703 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset . 
round  the  south  side  of  the  moor.  This  plan  presumes  the  concurrence  of 
the  landowners  of  King’s  Sedgemoor  in  the  enlargement,  of  a plan  which 
their  own  interest  already  requires.  It  would  give  them  in  return  the 
power  of  warping  their  own  lands  with  the  rich  silt  which  comes  down 
from  the  fertile  lands  about  Yeovil  and  South  Petherton  ; and  at  the 
same  time  facilities  might  be  given  for  bringing  up  in  barges  the  deposit 
which  accumulates  at  the  mouth  of  the  Parret. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  landowners  will  see  the  importance 
of  not  leaving  this  magnificent  district  in  its  present  state.  If 
the  principal  proprietors,  instead  of  remaining  passive  or  timidly 
placing  difficulties  in  the  way  of  improvement,  would  endeavour 
to  take  the  lead  in  influencing  public  opinion  in  the  right  direc- 
tion, capital  would  And  its  way  into  this  as  into  every  other  hope- 
ful undertaking. 
In  dealing  with  the  waters  of  this  basin  there  are  four  distinct 
objects  to  be  attained  : — 
1.  To  prevent  sudden  floods  overflowing  the  land  in  summer 
when  the  crops  are  growing. 
2.  To  keep  water  enough  in  the  ditches  for  the  stock  to  drink 
in  dry  weather. 
3.  To  have  the  power  of  flooding  the  land  with  thick  water, 
thf>t  is,  water  charged  with  silt  from  the  hills  in  time  of  heavy  rains. 
4.  To  have  the  power  of  drawing  off  the  clear  water  as  soon  as 
the  silt  has  settled. 
In  one  word,  the  control  over  the  water  at  all  times  of  the  year, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  let  it  in  on  the  land  or  to  draw  it  off,  according 
to  circumstances,  is  the  end  to  be  aimed  at.  And  the  attainment 
of  this  power  over  the  water  implies  an  unity  of  management  and 
the  consent  of  various  interests,  which  are  very  difficult  to  bring 
about. 
It  might  be  said  that  it  would  be  absolutely  impossible,  if  it 
were  not  that  seeming  impossibilities  in  this  district  and  in  a 
larger  district  in  the  east  of  England  have  been  overcome,  and 
that  the  necessity  of  combination  for  great  works  is  more  felt 
as  information  is  more  widely  diffused. 
The  main  principles  to  be  borne  in  mind  prior  to  the  relief 
of  any  particular  moor  by  steam  or  otherwise  appear  to  be  these : 
To  relieve  the  present  overburdened  channel  of  the  Parret, 
either  by  enlarging  it  or  by  diverting  the  water  which  now'  causes 
it  rapidly  to  overflow. 
To  aim  at  making  the  natural  drains  clear  themselves,  rather 
than  to  trust  to  steam. 
To  combine  the  power  of  flooding  with  that  of  draining. 
Marsh-Farming — Grass-Lands. 
The  grass-lands  in  the  marsh  have  to  a great  extent  been 
reclaimed  and  apportioned  in  modern  times ; the  fields  are  there- 
2 z 2 
