Extracts.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 529, 28 November 1857, Page 3

Extracts.

CULTIVATION OF WASTE LANi)S.

BY CECIL.

(From the Mark Lane Express, July 6.) A very interesting1 subject was recently discussed by the members of the Central Farmers' Club, which leads to more expansive views, and the consideration of other important features connected not only with the object then introduced?, namely «The best means of improving the cultivation of poor and hilly lands," but also $he " Cultivation of waste lands." There is a vast number of well-meaning philanthropists whose zeal on behalf of their fellow men carries them by flights of romantic fancies into regions unsuitable to the cultivation of earthly productions, and whose notions of agrarian felicity are purely chimerical. When it is announced that there are 20,000,000 acres of land in England and Wales which are not cultivated, it is necessary to inquire where they are situated? or upon what authority such an estimate is formed ? From the best information obtainable at the time, and supplied to me by a gentleman connected with the I Board of Trade, it was estimated in the year 1847 that the quantity of uncultivated land in England amounted to 3,454,000 acres, in Wales to 530,000 acres, and in the whole of the United Kingdom tol 14,700,000 acres. Confining these remarks to England &■Wales, the quantity, in round numbers, assimilates with the proportion spoken of by Mr. Sidney at the meetings already preferred to, of the Central Farmers' ! Club. The fallacies of Mr. Ernest-Jones's | proposal, at a meeting held in Srnithfield, to cultivate waste lands by the agency of supernumerary mechanics, were so clearly expounded by Mr. Sidney as to render it quite unnecessary to offer any further illustration on that point. Questions, however, emanate from these subjects. * Is there really any considerable quantity of uncul- j tivatdd land capable of profitable cultivation? If so, what is the most practicable means,of attaining that object ? not merely with reference to the best system of management, but with respect to the capital essential to carry out the project. That there is a quantity of land of a character capable of profitable cultivation there cannot be a doubt. There is a considerable portion in South Wales, for example, especially parts of Glamorganshire; Breeonshire, Carmarthenshire, and Cardiganshire. It is well-known that in those counties there are mountainous tracts, which, from their altitude and compoaents of the soil, are unsuitable to the growth of grain or roots; yet there are, even among these, spots well adapted tc supply sheep with summer food; indeed they are at present, ! to a limited extent, used for that purpose, and they are capable of great improvement. There are also considerable districts which only require judicious management and adequate capital, to render them very advantageously productive both of cereals and roots. More than this, there are still greater portions partially but miserably cultivated, and that arises from two unim- i paachable causes—want of capital, and ! want of enterprise and judgment. Here j the operation of draining may be carried out with the greatest benefit. The problem hence arises, how is the necessary capital to be obtained? To suppose that uncultivated lands are likely to be reclaimed to any appreciable extent" by private individuals is not consistent with probability. Very few farmers are disposed to encounter such undertakings upon an extensive scale, and the only way waste land is brought into cultivation by them is by annexing portions to adjoining farms ; but this is usually beset with many impediments; occupiers of farms in the vicinity of uncultivated wastes have seldom more capital than they require to conduct their original holdings, and the attempt to embark in such enterprises, without ample means; can never be attended with success. I have known several instances where common lands have been enclosed and allotted to the adjacent farms, the occupiers j of which have crippled .themselve serious-, i ty by withdrawing part of their capital from the cultivation of their original tenancies, and have therefore not been: able to do justice to either. I also know instancies where thev portions of lands sol allotted have simply been enclosed by fences, yet. the land is to'this day left in. its prinutiye condition>pro(iucirig nothing beyond scanty fareforsheep, or, ,jperhaps,-a few young1 cattle* although* the soil is 'capable of great improvement. 'J

To bring- waste land info cultivation ■ through any system by which* the mechanic , or farm-rlabburei' can be made the ope-

SHI® cond ltl on O f the small farmerTfn Wale^is an object for consideration. Tfieir educa r?\ 1$ T te as their haS of life harder, their deprivations greate? their retur-ns more precarious. Tafe, as J> [£ ?Ef l% a young inamed man occupying a extent T .^^^ivated land, !he extent of. which may be fifty or sixty acres, his capital as many pound! If cording: to tne prevailing custom of the" country he is enabled to purchase at sales by auction a portion of his stock of cattle sfe°l hv SeS'i° n Credit' Thatis cos boon i>l^^ emg a bad financi «V a boon, but it is his greatest enemy. For this credit he has to pay.a great per centage, inasmuch as that it Occasions. great competition and he bids far beyondthe mtrmsx value of the lot; ai /it often happens that stock so purchased is sold to meet the payment, after six months' keep, for very little more, and sometimes for | less, than it actually cost him. As to cultivating his farm so that it will prove anything equivalent to the quantity it is capable of producing, that is quite out of the .question. He grows a.few acres of wheat rat the rate of ten or twelve bushels per acre, naarly the whole of which is consumed by his family. Oats and barley are cultivated without producing adequate returns, Hts potato crop is simply a provision for his ; household. A small quantity of butter finds its way to ! market; the butter-milk is his principal beverage—<cwrw da' is to him a phantom. A lew sheep find their way to market also the oats and barley: in course of time perhaps a two or three-year-old pony and a few heifers which he" has contrived to keep alive, but in miserable condition are all condemned to make up the rent fcubsistmg upon the hardest fare, he tills the land himself, probably assisted by his wife (who works in the field) his sons, or younger brothers. He cannot afford to purchase the implements necessary for his use, and even if he could, on so small an occupation, the cost of many which are necessary to husbandry would be greater than the profits of his little farm would reimburse. The purchase of artificial fertilizers is an item which his Exche uer cannot tolerate. Dependent solely upon his own resources for manures which are never manufactured to the best advantage, his land is very inadequately supplied. These are not fictitious exaggerations: they are facts well known to all those who are conversant with their present state. Providing the visionary phantoms of those who advocate small, farms as the means of improving the condition of mechanics and labourers could be realised, it would be highly gratifying to trace the honest young labourer and his industrious wife from servitude to a small farm, rising by degrees to the position of the worthy farmer, supporting his family as becomes their station; but as a principle, the system^ will not harmonise with reality, ostensibly from want of capital, and the impracticability of cultivating such small farms on advantageous terms—an obstacle which must increase with the customs and improvements of modern days. This is an era of progress. In every undertaking worthy of notice, "Forward!" is the cry. ! The improvement of Waste Lands has been a service of somewhat tedious adventure. It appears that during the lengthened period of 140 years 8,000,000 acres of land have been brought into cultivation, and it is natural to conclude that this quantity comprises generally, the most favourable portion. Upon this calculation, assuming 4,000,003 acres to represent the quantity in England and Wales capable of cultivation, it will at a similar rate occupy 70 years more to bring about that desirable object. But it is wanted more speedily. We want extended 'opportunities for growing, and more essentially for raising stock: the high: prices proclaim this, together with the gradually decreasing supplies-as compared with the demand. Civilization is also intimately connected with the cultivation of the soil. It may be almost invariably remarked that in those districts wherei the soil is deficient in cultivation, the inhabitants partake ih equal ratio with the rude and uncultivated condition of their native: land? '

Companies 7 have :been formed 'for most speculations wherein considerable sums of money are capable; of being* profitably invested/but not one company has everiieeri

established for the purpose of farmimr lhis may be opposed on the principle of monoply • -but I contend that it could not bear such a construction if properly carried mto effect. It would not be with an object to secure the profits of a specific tradequite the reverse. It would be for the purpose of improving the cultivation of land more effectually than it can be accomplished by individual enterprise, and by so doing supplying the wants of the community. The object of agricultural companies would be for the purpose of cultivating lands at present uncultivated, and lands which are badly, or as it may be termed only partially cultivated, and which latter do not produce one-fourth, perchance in some cases one-sixth of what they may be made to produce. By extensive improvements of this nature the advantages would be diffused, not only in the immediate neighbourhood, but throughout the kingdom. For these purposes companies would combine many very important features. The very best systems of agriculture would necessarily be adopted • and in the event of badly-cultivated small farms being included in the undertaking the unsuccessful occupants of those farms would be eligible for employment in various departments suited to their respective abilities. They would not, in fact, under the circumstances, be expelled from their homes, to which they might be united by auy associations of olden times; and with fixed salaries under the employment of a company they would be in a far more prosperous condition than toiling on their own account with precarious profits. Their children likewise would be capable of fulfilling the lighter occupations; and being constanly under the supervision of expert enced teachers, the necessary agents of a well-organised system, they would Lara to perform their various duties upon the most approved principles. It is one of the prevailing difficulties connected with the satisfactory working of education among the rural classes, to combine the studies of the school room with the manipulations of the farm. At the present crisis, a youth, the^ son of an agricultural labourer, supposing* him to have received scholastic education suitable to his condition, has to learn to labour on the farm as best he may, having in most L , cases- no preceptor capable of giving him - instruction or controlling his conduct. Thus he acquires self-taught habits, after the rudest and most awkward customs, and he toils on without either improvement to himself or profit, to his employer. Under a good system of management agricultural companies would provide for such exigencies, to the very great advancement of education among the rural classes. They might go still further with this step towards improvement. The resident superintendent being a person of experience would be qualified to take pupils, by whose instrumentality the business of the establishment would be under constant inspection, and the profits augmented hy the premiums paid for their education.