J 
/ bog improvement have been heavy losers. 
466 
when drains are cut through a bog, though at no 
considerable distance from each other, the inter- 
mediate portion continues nearly as wet as ever. 
But supposing that this apparently insuperable 
difficulty were overcome, and that the bogs were 
completely drained, still we have to inquire 
whether any advantageous result would follow. 
According to Mr. Wakefield, the drainage of the 
bogs would render them ‘masses of dry inert vege- 
table matter ; and unless some means were discov- 
ered of bringing it into a state of putrefaction, one 
might as well attempt to cultivate an immense 
wool-pack.’ The fact is, that, in the present state 
of the bogs, nothing but a covering of earth, clay, 
marl, or limestone and gravel, will do any good ; 
and this can be applied better without large sur- 
face drains recommended by the Commissioners, 
than with them. The elaborate estimates given 
in the reports of the engineers employed by the 
Commissioners of the expense of draining and 
improving bogs, are altogether hypothetical, and 
are entitled to very little weight. Had a single 
extensive bog been drained by speculators, and 
brought into a state of profitable cultivation, 
there would have been some foundation to go 
upon. This, however, has not been done; and, 
till it be done, there are plainly no data to refer 
to in relation to this subject on which any reli- 
ance can be safely placed. We do not mean to 
insinuate that we look upon the cultivation of 
the bogs of Ireland as impracticable; should the 
wealth of the country increase, they will, no 
doubt, be gradually, though we believe very 
slowly, reclaimed. At present, however, we con- 
fess it appears to us that there are no grounds 
for thinking that their cultivation, if undertaken 
upon a great scale, would be otherwise than ruin- 
ous. Even in Great Britain, most of those who 
have distinguished themselves by attempts at 
Blair- 
Drummond moss, in Perthshire, has not been im- 
proved but exterminated, And it is abundantly 
obvious that, in Ireland, the chances of loss from 
any public improvement would be incomparably 
greater.” 
Sir C. G. Monteath, Bart., of Closeburn, a well- 
known, enlightened, extensive, and most success- 
ful georgist, fully admits all the difficulties and 
pecuniary hazards of the various methods of bog 
improvement suggested previous to 1838, and 
yet has confidence that all flow bogs, as well as 
all the worst varieties of lacustrine bogs, may, 
by a new method, be certainly and economically 
reclaimed. He states that he would so far fol- 
low previous improvers as to drain off the astrin- 
gent water from any flow bog, in order to con- 
solidate the upper stratum and arrest its growth, 
and to apply quicklime and earthy matters in 
order to accelerate its decomposition and assimi- 
late it to the nature of our more prolific soils ; 
and he adds, “ All this and no more has been 
done already, and yet it is found inferior to the 
lacustrine or fen bog, and is still considered a dan- 
gerous subject for the investment of capital. The 
cause of this is a subject worthy of inquiry, and 
one which does not appear to have been hitherto 
accounted for. The following is my view of it. 
Although we may have succeeded in assimilating 
| the soils, still there exists a material difference 
between the subsoils. In the case of the lacus- 
trine bog, there is more or less earthy matter to 
the very bottom, by which a due circulation of 
moisture is promoted,—a circumstance which, in 
my opinion, is of the greatest importance to both 
soils and subsoils. But, in the case of the flow 
bog, all below the soil is a mass of dead inert 
peaty matter, almost impervious to moisture and 
air; and the moisture it does contain must be of 
an astringent and pernicious quality, and injuri- 
ous to vegetation. In order to remedy this evil, 
I would propose, after the bog has been drained 
and consolidated, to lay an artificial subsoil of 
clay, sand, and gravel, three, four, or more inches 
in thickness, at the depth of about eight inches 
under the surface, so as to cut off all connexion 
with the lower portion of the bog. By this means 
all the pernicious moisture rising from below will 
undergo an important chemical change in its 
passage through the subsoil. The subsoil will 
also make the soil more firm, and whenever we 
see bog resting on a sufliciently earthy subsoil, 
we generally find it productive, unless the soil is 
very ferruginous. The manure will have more 
effect. The soil will decompose more freely, es- 
pecially if an inch or two of its surface has been 
burned ; and it will ultimately be converted into 
a rich moory loam, fit for the cultivation of most 
crops, especially if it has had a due admixture of 
earthy matter, and certainly in the case of an | 
artificial subsoil much less will suffice. If then 
my views are correct, this would be a permanent 
improvement to bog, and on that account would 
amply repay any additional expense which would 
be incurred over ordinary methods, which, in 
fact, have been mostly found ineffectual. Ihave 
little doubt that a fair trial would, in a few years, 
demonstrate its complete success; and thus, by 
and by, we would see some millions of acres of 
dreary, dull, worthless, waste bog, converted into 
rich smiling corn fields and meadows, and the 
climate improved. Jallude more particularly to 
Ireland. It is a remarkable fact, that wherever 
bogs occur, especially in this country, the ele- 
ments for their improvement are at hand. We. 
have here in our diluvial deposits the best of 
clay, gravel, and sand, for the purpose, being 
chiefly of a calcareous nature. On the verge of 
Lochar Moss, if my memory is correct, are de- 
posited abundance of materials from the grey- 
wacke and new red sandstone formation, admi- 
rably adapted for its improvement. As a means 
which this would afford of ameliorating the con- 
dition of the labouring classes of this naturally 
highly - favoured country, it is superfluous to 
speak.” 
The use of bogs as turbary has frequently been 
