~ WARPING 
have a sufficient quantity of warp deposited, the 
inlets are extended by what are called ‘call 
banks,’ which, though much smaller than the 
others, still conduct the current onward to parts 
not acted upon by the currents before, and so on 
according as required. One of the greatest nice- 
ties in warping is to have the land finished as 
level as possible, which can only be done by the 
strictest attention, and by proper judgment in 
conducting the different currents, which must 
not be suffered to cross one another, or to meet, 
as in such a case the deposit of the warp is less, 
not so regular, and of an inferior quality. Care 
must also be taken that the currents should not 
be too strong, for in warp there is a considerable 
portion of sand which, being the most heavy of 
all the particles floating in the water, sinks first, 
the lighter particles being carried on by the vio- 
lence of the current, consequently a sand-bed is 
| formed. These sand-beds, however, if covered 
afterwards with warp, generally are found to 
crop better than warp which may be too strong. 
With respect to the depth of warp deposited, it 
depends much upon the level of the land to be 
warped ; for, should the land be very irregular, 
in some places there would be a great deposit, 
and in others only comparatively a small one. 
It is generally advantageous to have the land to 
be warped as level as possible. A deposit may 
then be obtained of from 1 to 3 feet, and in some 
favourable instances it has been considerably 
more, but it cannot be generally calculated on. 
The time it takes to warp a compartment can- 
not be very accurately defined, there being many 
circumstances to take into consideration. Some 
of the compartments are much farther from the 
mouth of the drain than others; in addition to 
which, should the lands to be warped be very 
low, they can only take in perhaps every second 
tide, and even sometimes only every fourth, on 
account of the difficulty of getting the water 
back again, for the tide continues to flow into 
the compartment until perhaps nearly low water 
in the river. The tide then returning, as it does 
very rapidly, prevents the water from flowing 
out of the drain, and would fill the compartment 
too full of water. The doors are consequently 
closed against the tide. They open themselves, 
however, when the water in the river is of a 
lower level than that in the drain. When the 
compartment is near the river, that does not 
occur, as the water has time to get off before the 
tide returns. The seasons also vary very much ; 
but with a large main drain, and in a fair 
average season, from 350 to 450 acres might be 
warped in two years, or two years and a half. 
The immense size of the main drain which has 
been mentioned, and its consequent great power, 
facilitate very much the, warping of land of a 
higher level than that which could be warped by 
a small drain; for the current being forced on 
by the great flow in the drain, can be made to 
flow over the high ground by turning a drain 
OF LAND. 
613 
towards it, provided that there be sufficient land 
of a lower level on the other side to draw onward 
the water so forced over the hill. The warp so 
deposited is at first of an inferior quality, the 
current being so strong; but in a short time the 
peat-moss becomes pressed down by the weight 
of the deposit. The current is then easier, and 
the deposit becomes better. 
It may be asked, whence comes this inexhaust- 
ible supply of mud or warp? An immense quan- 
tity of it floats about the Humber and its tribu- 
taries; and opinions widely differ as to whence 
it comes. Considerable ravages have been made 
by the sea on the coast of Holderness, extending 
all the way from Bridlington Quay to Spurn 
Point ; but as the Humber is comparatively clear 
at the mouth, it is difficult to say whether it can 
come from that source. It does not come di- 
rectly from land-floods, as these always deterio- 
rate, for the time, the deposit, although con- 
siderable deposit being carried down into the 
Humber by land-floods, may return in the shape 
of warp. The greatest probability is that it 
arises from the action of the tide on the immense 
and almost hidden beds of soil which form the 
bottom of the Humber. It appears, however, 
that the warp is full of seeds of different sorts, 
more particularly the white clover, which it grows 
in great abundance, and quite naturally. The 
quantity of warp in the water differs consider- 
ably ; there is more in the water during fine and 
dry weather; and the deposit is greater when 
there is no wind. It is highly advisable, if pos- 
sible, to avoid finishing the warping of a com- 
partment during the very fine and hot weather 
of June and July; for the tides are small at 
that period of the year, and are apt to be strongly 
impregnated with saline particles, which, being 
left in the warp, have a very injurious effect in 
retarding vegetation. The expense of warping 
cannot be laid down with any certainty, as the 
different compartments vary so much; when the 
land to be warped is very low, the banks require 
to be so much higher; and the internal works 
are very expensive, should the general surface of 
the land be irregular. There is a great difference 
between the flow and the ebb of the tide in the 
river Ouse and the neighbouring rivers, the flow 
only taking three hours, consequently running 
with great rapidity, and the ebb taking the re- 
maining nine hours. The tides frequently flow 
as much as from 18 to 22 feet. - 
The general benefit to the country from warp- 
ing cannot but be very apparent, it having created 
a steady demand for labour throughout the whole 
of the district where the improvements have 
been carried on. Between 3,000 and 4,000 acres 
of land have been brought into a state of culti- 
vation; and where formerly was a morass may 
now be seen the finest crops of wheat, clover, 
and potatoes. The original rent was in many 
instances nothing — now a rent is received of 
from 35s. to 50s. per acre. The most general 
