The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-09-21 00:00:00

RECLAMATION OF WASTE LANDS.

Mr. James Howard, of Clapham-park, Bedford, has sent
the following interesting letter to The Times to. publica-
tion
- - •

The wicounts published in The Times of the Duke o
Sutherlauirs operations in reclaiming waste lands in
Satherlati has, doubtless, been read with interest by
many other proprietors.
I would direct attention to another "suggestive and
instructive fact" of the kind nearer home. Near to
'rhirsk in Yorkahire, about 700 feet above sea level is
a moor of some 30,000 acres in extent. A portion cf
this moor belongs to Major Stapylton, who some four
years ago determined if it could be made to pay a fair
interest on the necessary outlay, to reclaim his portion
of thin rough, wild region. The find, plot experi-
mented on was 20 acres in extent. After the burn-
ing of the heath, the land was broken up by horse
power and fallowed. Rape was then sown, a variety
of artificial manures being applied, and a portion, as an
experiment, was dressed with lime. It was discovered
that lime not only acted as a sweetener of the soil, but
had the effect of setting the artificial manures in
action ; for on the unlimed portions the manures ap-
peared to remain dormant. Such were the fertilising
effects produced, that the rape by its growth showed
to a foot how far the sowing of the. !lin!, had reached.

Encouraged by the success of his first experiment,
Msj,ir Stapylton determined to bring 300 acres more
into cultivation. Having, however, found it difficult
and expensive by horse power to thoroughly break
through the impervious pan, lying some six or eight
inches below the surface, a powerful steam cultivator
was obtoined, by the aid of which the soil was broken
up and well pulverized to the depth of 14 inches. Mr.
E. E. Brown, who has superintended the work, has
kept an accurate account of the cost of these operations
and the results. They are as follow
The operations on the will heath began as follows—The
heath was burnt down at 6,1 an acre, then twice steam cul-
tivated, each time crossing the other, at a cost of las. per
acre ; then it was left a few weeks to the action of the
weather.
Brought forward .. AO 15 6
Then welt-steam harrowed thrice, at per acre .. 0 7 6 ,
Burnt g tussles and roots he., and spreading ashes 0 7 6
Two cultivatings crossing each other, 14 inches deep 1 0 0
4 tons of lime, carted and spread, at Os. 3d. .. 113 0
2 cwt of phospho-guatio, at 125.=.245. 1 18 0
2 cwt. of dissolved bores, at 7s =l4l,
3 lb. of rapeseed, ls. gd. ; drilliog manure and
seed, Is. 61. .. • • • • .. .. 03 0
61, ; horee•hoeing, Is. 63. .. • • .. 02 0
0 1 0
£6 7 6

Good half crop of rape kept 120 sheep one week, -
at 61 each .. • • • .. . 30 0
43 7 0

Outlay left not repaid .
Two ridgf figs 27 inches wide, and subsoiling 14
inches deep in bottom 1 0 0
2 cwt Peruvian guano aud 2 cwt. dissolved bones
as before.. .. • • • • .. .. 118 0
Turnip seed, 2s. ; drilling manure and seed, ls. &I. 03 6
llorae-hueiug, Is. 6d.; hand-hueiug, 55. . . , 06 6
£lll5 6
One year's interest on this at 5 per cent. 0 6 9

Turnip crop, worth at least

Outlay left not repaid .. .. 42 3
Once plough.d with double farrow plough and
two horses .. • 06 0
3 bushels of oats, 2.80. 0 10
Drilling, is dl. harrowing, is. 6d. : rolling, la 04 0
Weeding, 91; harvesting and thrashing, 20s. 1 0 6

Interest on this at 5 per cent..

Total expense taken down ..

6 qrs of n.ts, at 2.
30 cw t. of straw, at 30...

.. £7 0 0
3 0 0

Expenses brought down

Profit for the four years..

}ARENS& OF WORE PONE.
Total expense of wearirg parti, repairs, oil, and
grease, as per Mils for the 18 months . Lai 0
Wire rope, nearly one-fourth worn .. .. 23 0 0
£79 8 0

This, on the 96S acres cultivated, siva about la. Si.
per acre for wear, &of tackle. To cover
ln-
tereat and ilepn ciath al or capital invested, 10
per cent, most be charged on £lB2 for 18 months 102 6 0
This gives about 25 2,1. per acre fir this item.

WORKING ItXPENSES PER PAY.
One enginetuan 3 0
Four me! (two anchor, one cultivator,
R.,d one porterman), at 25. 64... .. 010 0
One boy, a' is. 61., and a horse, 00 35. 64. 0 5 0
6 cwt. of coals, at 84. 0 4 0
901 acres in 170 days, at .. 2 0-103 12 0

968 acres, at 7s. 91, or under 176 days, at £2 2s. 81 £375 6 0
From the above it will be seen that alter all expenses
are paid a fair pr ,fit is realized, besides the laud being I
in first-rate condition to go on with in a regular course
of farming.
Before the introduction of artificial fertilizers, the
difficulty and cost of transporting manure to so great
an altitude render it impossible to cultivate such land
to a profit; but what with powerful steam machinery
and portable manures the dithuilties are greatly
diminished, and there is no question that large tracts
of similar laud might be profitably brought under
2ultivation, or, at all events, laid down to grass.
When on the moors of Derbyshire and Yorkshire lest
month, small farms I saw dotted here aud there with beau-
tiful green sweet pastures showed that to a smsiderable ex-
tent these mock might be turned to account for the sum-
mer waging of sheep and cattle. Wealthy lo k land farmers
ecoul I be only too glad of the opportunity of taking such
farms, LI are the lowland farmers of Scotland of holding "a
hill farm."

'en I,ng-

COMPARISONS or TIME. —Which goes the
quicker?—s. Full Minute, a • Spare moment?—Punch.