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grain ; it should be sown down with Holcus lanatus, or plantedwith florin grass in the first instance, and ever afterwards usedas a perpetual meadow or pasture, by refreshing it occasionallyby flooding.
Fifthly, In the firft attempt to reclaim mofs by flooding, the wa-ter may be admitted in the months of October, November, andDecember. If laid occafionally dry in time of froft in winter, thiswill be of advantage : after a thaw commences, and has reached on-ly a few inches deep, while below the mofs is ftill frozen, the har-row ftiould be freely applied. The froft will fupport the horfes*feet from finking, even without pattens ; and one harrowing, at thistime, will pulverize the foil more than three in fummer. Duringthe heat of that feafon, the flood ftiould be frequently let on andoff. By ail thefe operations, the foil will be prepared for croppingagainft next fpring.
Sixthly, All level mofs, or wafte land, ftiould firft be dug, as wellas drained, before flooding : it is true that flooding will be of fer-vice, even before that operation, but it is not of equal fervice.Undug mofs is impervious to water; of courfe, it cannot fink deep,nor operate powerfully on fuch a furface, When dug, it becomesmore pervious; of courfe the water finks deeper, and operates morepowerfully in reclaiming fuch a foil.
Seventhly, Where the furface of any wafte lies level, and is over-grown with coarfe ufelefs herbage and weeds, it ought to be paredand burnt in the firft inftance. If then dug, and after this flood-ed, it will produce a luxuriant crop of meadow grafles. This is themode followed by the Dutch, &c,; it will be defcribed minutely inDr Rennie’s Efiay.
Eighthly, Wafte land lying on a declivity, ought to be floodedbefore it be dug, efpecially if that declivity be confiderable : in thiscafe; the foil, after being dug, will become fo friable, that there isdanger of its being wafhed away. After the uselefs coarfe herbageis deftroyed by flooding, a flock of fweet herbage will rife up fpon-taneoufly; but to expedite this change, it would be proper to fovthe feeds of fuch grafles as are molt fuitable to the foil, and harrowthem flightly in. In felefting this feed, attention ought to be paidto the height above the level of the fea, as well as the quality of thefoil.
Lastly, Warping mofs or wafte land, often is unneceflary, atleaft when it is reclaimed. After a fucceffion of crops, it ought tobe laid down in grafs : warping would in that cafe be injurious tothe crop. If, however, a crop of grain is afterwards attempted, itought then to be warped, as a preparation for that purpofe,
Conclusion.
After all that has been faid in favour of flooding the varieties ofwafte land, many may regard the propofal as fanciful. It is at allftjnies difficult to carry home conviction, as to the propriety of any