CULTIVATION OF WASTE LAND. 
401 
ing ‘ too tedious,' and as to its being * too expensive,’ that may be a 
reason for leaving it undone altogether; but surely, if it is worth 
while to drain such surfaces at all, it is most consistent with good 
economy to drain them in an effectual manner. In mentioning the 
name of a gentleman of such superior attainments as Mr. Roscoe, 
and in thus subjecting his patriotic endeavours to improve the mo¬ 
rasses of his native county to criticism, the writer hopes that he shall 
not run even the hazard of a charge of wishing to speak dispraising!y 
of an individual towards whose memory he feels the most profound 
respect, and to whose labours he has been, and shall ever feel and 
own himself, deeply indebted. For it is not alone from the success¬ 
ful experimenter that individuals or the public derive information; 
on the contrary, the want of success, while it inflicts loss and disap¬ 
pointment on the person immediately concerned, operates as a cheap, 
and unbought instruction to others, and as the more minute causes 
of failure develop themselves, they serve as so many beacons, even as 
the wreck of the vessel of the first navigator of unknown seas, marks 
the spot of danger, and enables those who come after, to make in 
safety the desired haven: 
“ Assuming, what in fact may be assumed with great safety in al¬ 
most every case, that the level of the land by which the moss is sur¬ 
rounded, affords sufficient fall for its drainage, the first thing to be 
considered is the most convenient situation for, and the direction of, 
the roads by which the intended fields are to be approached. On 
each side of these roads a drain will be necessary, and the divisional 
drainers of the fields should be placed, as nearly as possible, at right 
angles with the line of road. It is desirable that the drills, butts, or 
ridges, which may hereafter be formed on the surface, should lie as 
nearly north and south as possible, and consequently, if no other cir¬ 
cumstance interferes to prevent it, the divisional drains of the fields 
should be placed in that direction also. It would be difficult to an¬ 
ticipate the particular circumstances which even in any one case will 
have to be considered before the general plan of laying out a moss 
for cultivation is fixed upon, much less is it possible to make a rule 
which shall be applicable to all cases; but it may be safely recom¬ 
mended, that all improvement on particular parts of mosses, should 
be subservient to some general plan of improvement, either of the 
whole moss, or of such part of it as belongs to the same proprietor. 
What is meant to be included here under the term ‘general plan is, 
the direction of the roads, of the divisional drains of the fields, and 
the form, as well as length and breadth of the fields. The open drains, 
which serve at once to divide the fields, to assist in draining the moss. 
