The Portland daily press., 1874-08-29
THE FARM AND HOUSEHOLD,
RecIaimiug Wasfa Land

In recent article in the London Times we
ind very instructive account of the reclaim
alton of waste moorland in the county of
Sutherland, Scotland. The land is the prop
erty OF the Duke of Sutherland, and it goes
long way toward removing any objection that
one might feel as to the justice or propriety of
one man owning whole county containing
over million acres of land, that by his ener-
gy, skill. and capital, that land, previously
practically useless :or any purpose of produc-
tlon, can be brought into condition for prof
liable cultivation and the production of food.
Certainly, in the hands of proprietors without
capital, such land would be a source of poy-
erty rather than wealth. There are vast
tracts of land in our own country very SINH
larly situated, that are now, and must ever
remain, utterly sterile, until large expendi-
ture of capital is brought to bear upon their
improvement.
The land in question was moorland and
bog, and valued as temporary pasture for
sheep at an annual value of twenty cents ger
acre. The average yearly value of arabic
land in the neighborhood is S. per acre.
The first improvement was .he cutting OF a
wide and deep ditch along one side of the
tract to carry off the drainage water, planting
belts of timber for shelter and protection from
the winds, and the making of a main road.
This was in 1872. The next year portion of
the land was broken up with steam plows to
depth OF twelve to twenty inches. At
tachedito each plow, and following the share,
was curved steel-pointed hook which pene-
trated the soil still more deeply, tearing up
roots or rocks, while in front sharp circular
cutting discs divided the mat of grass or roots
and cut the edge of the furrow which tne
plOw turned over. These plows and the trac-
tiOn engines by which they are moved were
made expressly for this purpose, and an
swered every expectation. Their cost, in
cluding the wire ropes and all necessary tao
kle, was S11, 200 the pair. Each pair of en-
gnes required fifteen or sixteen men as driy-
ers, stokers, rock blasters, and laborers, to
clear off the stones, roots and other obstacles
met with after they had been torn up. The
cost of the whole labor of thus clearing, break
ing up, and plowing an acre was S25, six acres
being completed in five days.
The wet bog land was necessarily thorough
ly drained previous to the breaking up, but
tbe dry land was first broken. The cost of
digging the drains upon the dry land was
thus much reduced. An Implement much
like an anchor with one fuke was designed
and made to facilitate the digging OF the
drains. This was drawn through the soil by
steam-engine, breaking and loosening it so
that the bitches could be easily cleared out by
hand with shovels. The trees which stood in
the way of cultivation were torn out by the
roots by the engines short chains were passed
around the trees these were fastened to the
wire rope of the engine, and in this manner
several trees at time were removed with the
greatest ease. The total cost of the whole of
the Improvements, including fences, roads,
farm buildings, and plantations, is SIT per
acre. This seems to be large amount at
first sight, until we find that the improved
land is laid out into small farms of forty acres
and upward, each one having farm steadings
of excellent and permanent character, cost
ing at the rate OF $42 per acre, and being
thoroughly underdrained at cost of $35 per
acre, besides being thoroughly broken up,
grubbed, and plowed ready for a crop. The
profitable nature of the improvement was
shown Immediately upon the completion of
the first tract of two hundred and fifty
acres. The past February one-third of
this tract was narrowed, lined, and top
dressed with 400 pounds of superphosphate
and 100 pounds of Kainit German potash
salts) per acre. 1t was sown to oats in April
The crop is in excellent condition;a part is
too heavy and has become laid, but the rest
is estimated at forty-eight bushels per acre.
This for first crop upon soil of this char
acter is considered sufficiently satisfactory
and promising. Consequently the improve
ment of 80, 600 acres has been determined up
on at the rate of 1000 acres year. This
fact, too, exhibits in conspicuous manner
the advantage of a permanent tenure of land.
No temporary occupler Of the soil improves,
and in America, unfortunately, we are all
temporary holders of our property. Few
farmers here look upon their sons, or their
grandsons, as the future occupiers of their
present homes. To us contract looking fif-
ty, or even five years ahead, would appear so
absurd as not to be entertained, and there
fore we either do not improve our property at
all, or only in temporary manner, leaving
our successors or assigns to take the course
they may when we give up possession to
them. This may not be avoidable
but it is none the less Improbable.
Finally, looking at the nature of the i'm
provement here described, we cannot refrain
from remarking that there are some disadvan-
tages resulting from the great ease with
which we can transfer our real estate, and
some advantages which belong to the more
permanent holding of the soil in Great Brit
ain, although it may be hampered with the
law of entail, and other-to us-objectionable
features.-N. Y. Times.