4 ?
ieing perfectly free" from stones, and, when wet, as slippery assoap ; so that it is easily dug, and its lubricity greatly facilitatesthe progress of the water when loaded with moss. The dimen-sions most proper for this floating drain are found to be two feetwide by two feet deep. If smaller, it could not conveniently re-ceive the spadefuls of moss ; if larger, the water would escape,leaving the moss behind. The drain has a descent of one footin 100 yards ; and the more regularly this is preserved through-out, the less will the moss be liable to obstructions in its progressalong with the water. The operator marks off a convenient ex-tent of moss alongside of the drain, of 10 feet wide, which is thefarthest distance from which he can conveniently heave his spade-ful into the drain. When the entire moss is removed down tothe clay from that slip of 10 feet, a new drain is dug at the footef the bank of moss, and the operation goes on aS before on anew slip of 10 feet broad. The spadefuls of moss pursue theireourse in the drain to the river Forth, which fortunately formsthe southern boundary of the estate for several miles, withoutany intervening proprietor.
When the moss is entirely removed, the clay is found to beencumbered by the roots of different kinds of trees, often verylarge,- remaining in the original place of their growth, and theirtrunks are often found lying beside them. All these are remov-ed by the tenants, often with great labour. In the course of theoperations, a stratum of moss six inches thick is left on the clay.In the spring, as soon as the season is favourable, this is spadedup to dry, and is burned by a smouldering flame to black ashes,which are spread over the land, and in a great measure ensuresthe first crop. The ground thus cleared, if the dryness admits,is turned over by the plough ; and, where too soft for that im-plement, is dug over with a spade. By exposure for a month tothe sun, wind, and frost, the. clay becomes sufficiently reducedto receive the seed in March or April. Oats are invariably thefirst crop, and seldom- fail to yield from eight to ten bolls afterone. *
In the year 1767, an agreement was made with one tenant fora portion of the low moss, and the same terms have ever sincebeen observed with all who have been procured since. The te-nant holds eight Scots acres, or somewhat more than ten English ,accurately 10.1G64, on a lease of 38 years. For the first sevenyears he pays no rent. The 8th year, he pays one mark Scots ,13-jd., Sterling ; the 9th year two maiks, and so on ; increasinghis rent yearly till the end of the first 19 years; paying likewisea hen yearly during the last five years: so that his rent in the
* This is rather a vague account of the produce, as the quantity of seed tothe acre is not mentioned. Supposing one boll or six bushels to the Scots acre,or 4.7 bushels to an English acre, the crop in the text will be from 48 to CWbushels the Scots acre, or from 57.7 to .47.2 bushels.to the English acre.