the primary question of the efficacy of the operation,—that is universally admitted, the pressing consideration now is, how can it be most economically, yet effectually and permanently accomplished?-Whence can the Funds be procured whereby it may be promoted to the fullest extent, and placed within the pecuniary reach of even the smallest occupier?

This brings us directly to the consideration of the second head of our subject, viz., the immediate result to the Agricultural Interest, for it is manifest that the practicability of obtaining additional Funds will in no ordinary degree depend upon shewing to the Capitalist the profit and benefit which will be realized by their employment. Now if a Merchant, knowing from long experience and information that by the purchase of the commodity in which he deals he can realize a profit of from ten to twenty per cent. in six or twelve months, but lacking the immediate command of additional capital, were to go to his banker and satisfy him that such was really the fact, I apprehend he would have no difficulty in obtaining, under ordinary circumstances, any reasonable advance for the operation; what possible obstacle then can there be to the Agriculturalist securing the same, especially when he knows for a certainty, and can shew to demonstration, that his profit in the operation of effective draining is seldom or never under twenty per cent, but more frequently from fifty to a hundred, and with a security too of unquestionable character,—the very acres on which the money is laid out?

It would be a work of supererogation to detail the host of praetical instances in which these results have been verified; suffice that I refer to the late speech of LORD STANLEY, at Liverpool, for some, and then content myself by declaring that I know, of my own knowledge, many instances in which, from the tenant's own admission, the entire cost was repaid by the first succeeding crop.

And indeed amongst practical men it is now admitted, that under an ordinary outlay, three crops, at the very most, will always repay the cost; if therefore it is returned the first crop, the profit is one hundred per cent.; if in two crops, it is fifty per cent.; and if it requires three years, it still gives thirty per cent. and upwards in extra produce. This is what it absolutely makes in the yield. of the crop now let us see what amount of saving it effects in the preparation of the land for that crop; and in estimating this we cannot fix upon a better basis for the calculation than that which an authority on the subject of land and tillage valuing has given in his estimate of the expense of cultivating turnip and clay lands, I allude to an author known probably to many of you, the late MR. BAYLDON, who, in giving the relative rents of these two descriptions of soil, makes the following estimate per acre of each on a four crop course :—

shewing that the expense of cultivation on the Clay Land exceeds that on the Turnip by about fifty per cent. on the profit of each. The dressings on the Clay Land average £3. 5s. 6d., and those on the Turnip Land £3. 1s. 6d. per acre, making four shillings difference in favor of dry land per acre on the face of the valuation. But it must be remembered that the dry land in this estimate is at all times ploughed with two horses and a man; whereas Mr. BAYLDON gives the clay land "three horses, a man, and a boy," making the breadth of land ploughed per day in both cases the same at the first ploughing (three roods), but the second time over giving to the dry land one acre per day. Founding therefore

D

therefore the difference on this authority, (which I hold to be about the true state of the case) it cannot, I think, be taken at less than one-third in addition to the four shillings, making a total result of about £1. 5s. per acre against undrained clay land, or about fortyfive per cent. in favor of dry and drained land *

In confirmation of these views and calculations, I will quote a short extract from the pen of that intelligent and practical advocate of Agricultural Improvement, Professor LINDLEY, who says, "when we have got a piece of good loamy land, lying on a dry subsoil, or well drained, it is our own fault if we have not good crops, or if the vicissitudes of the seasons affect us to any great extent. The last two years have been trying years for bad farmers, and we may look upon it as a warning to keep our land dry. Whoever has observed the difference between the produce of two fields, both of nearly the same quality, but one drained and subsoil ploughed. and the other merely ploughed up in high and narrow stretches, must be fully convinced that the capital which is laid out in thorough-draining, often pays a better interest, without risk, than the most usurious discounter of short bills could have the conscience to desire. This year (1843) it has been a hundred per cent., and

"I should say my land, which is more heavy in ploughing than might be thought from its appearance, ploughs as easily now with three horses as it formerly did with four; and as there are no wet furrows to encourage grass and weeds, the summer fallow is no longer necessary, which will somewhat lessen the number of ploughings. And when we also consider its ploughing up mellower, its requiring less dragging and harrowing to get it into tilth, and no furrows or trenches to be ploughed out after the seed is sown, and likewise, that you are often able to plough it, from the land being dry, when otherwise you could not or ought not,-taking the above heads together, I should say there would be saved one-third of horse-labour, though some will say the saving is a great deal more, but I would rather understate than overstate any thing."—Journal of the Royal Agricutural Society, Prize Essay, page 336.

more, in some heavy wet soils, now laid dry. Draining in the best manner seldom costs more than £6. per acre, and it can be done effectually for half that sum. Without being drained, the cold wet lands which abound in England will not average sixteen bushels of wheat per acre, taking into the account the great many fields which fail entirely. The same soil, properly drained, with the same labour and manure, will average thirty bushels, with double the quantity of straw, and more than a bushel per acre of seed saved. Here, then, is a difference of fifteen bushels per acre, at six shillings, equalling £4. 10s., and allowing a load of straw more than on the undrained land worth thirty shillings, we have just the cost of the draining, or cent. per cent. on the capital.”

"We have ourselves realized this difference, and we have ten acres of wheat in a drained field, and eight acres in another of equal quality but not drained, of which the first will average by estimate thirty-six bushels per acre, while we do not expect more than twenty or twenty-two from the other. And the poorer crop has been the most expensive, owing to the constant hoeing and weeding required to keep it clean."

"After this can any Proprietor or Tenant hesitate to have his heavy and wet lands drained? If neither the one, nor the other, have money to spare, let him borrow it if he can at five or six, or even more, per cent.,-he will soon be enabled to pay off the debt."

Now every word of this is as true as it is comprehensive; it embraces at a glance the main and immediate benefits which the occupier of drained land enjoys over that of undrained, all tending to make his labor and energy satisfactory as to profit, and sweetening his domestic hours with the consolation of a contented mind; whilst the other is starving and repining, and toiling to extract a paltry rent (ever in arrear) from land which will not yield even a subsistence, rent free, in its natural state. The summary, then, of

the advantages in the cultivation of dry and drained lands, over wet and undrained, is briefly :

First. The vicissitudes of the seasons do not affect the several operations of the farm, or the crops themselves, to any thing like the same extent as on wet land. The ploughing and sowing for all the crops is consequently more regular, and the system adopted can be pursued with almost scrupulous exactness.

Second. An actual extra produce of from thirty to *a hundred per cent., with a general evenness in the crops not otherwise obtainable and also a saving of from twenty to fifty per cent. in the preparation of the land.

Third.-Putting the land into a condition to grow green crops, and reducing the proportion of summer fallows; thereby affording ample food for an increased number of stock, and consequently a proportionate increase of tillage made on the farm, and in many instances on the land itself, by eating the turnips off with sheep,— a result of which there are numerous instances.

Fourth. The improvement of the climate many degrees, for

"The greatest and quickest return I know of, was where part of a piece of land was furrow-drained with tiles, by a kinsman of mine, in the vale of Gloucester; the whole piece was planted with barley, and the extra crop on the part that was drained, more than paid the whole expense, besides the extra straw. Now if it had such an effect one year why not another, and be still paying cent. per cent. Now this was not on bog or waste land, but on a good wheat and bean soil, of which there is such a large extent in this country, that would pay, if not cent. per cent., something near it."-Prize Essay, Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, page 336.

+ "I have no doubt that I speak within compass in saying that it would produce an increase of four bushels of wheat per acre; to say nothing of the increase of stock the land would be able to carry by improved culture of green crops instead of naked fallow, which is necessary before draining in order to keep it all clean."-Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society of England, Prize Essay, page 310.