seen a field of carse-land that was not wet enough to be much the better for wedge-draining, and Mr Murray estimates the average improvement at two bolls per acre, besides an immense increase in the quantity of straw. He had this year sixty threaves of barley per acre on wedge-drained land. I must, however, remark, that the improvement has always appeared to me more striking in the first two or three crops than afterwards, and the reason, I apprehend, is, that although the drains remain perfectly clear, the clay above them becoming gradually more compact, the surface-water does not get down into them so quickly after a few years as it did at first.

The price I now pay for cutting wedge-drains 3 feet deep, including the cutting of the turf and putting it in, is 4d. per rood of 20 lineal feet, and I am at the expence of carrying the turf from the place where it is cut, and laying it down close to the drains in a regular line, so that the person employed by the contractor in putting it in, can easily reach it without coming out of the drain. I know that the work can be done a little cheaper, but I know also, that where it has been done too cheap, it has not in general been so well done, and the durability in a great measure depends on the work being properly executed. This is, I believe, the same price that Mr Murray now pays. At first we both paid a good deal more, but an expert workman will make good, though not extravagant, wages at the rate I have mentioned. Where wood is used

as a wedge instead of turf, about a d. per rood will be saved as the price of cutting the turf; while, on the other hand, the expence of the wood must, of course, vary considerably according to local circumstances; but where it has been tried in this country, and sawn with a saw-mill, I believe it has cost from 13d. to 14d. per chain of 74 feet. The expence of draining per acre, must, it is obvious, depend on the breadth of the ridges. Where these are of 15 feet, the most common breadth in our carses, it will cost about L. 2, 17s. per acre; but in wedge-drained land, I think the ridges may be advantageously made 18 or 20 feet broad, which will of course be attended with a proportionate reduction of the expence of draining. Mr Murray is of opinion that the improvement on the first crop, where that is wheat, will nearly pay the expence. Certainly in all ordinary cases, the improvement on the first two crops will do more than pay it. Indeed, I have been told that a very shrewd and intelligent farmer on an estate in my neighbourhood, says, he is convinced that it would be for the interest of a tenant to wedge-drain, although it were ascertained that these drains would only last two years. He is himself draining extensively.

crop

Hitherto, as far as I know, wedge-draining has not been practised any where in Scotland except in Galloway, and for about twenty miles along both banks of the Forth. It is rapidly spreading in this neighbourhood, and we are unquestionably very

much indebted to Mr Murray for having introduced it amongst us. I have not a doubt that it would meet with similar success in the Carse of Gowrie, were it once tried there; but there are not, I apprehend, a great many other situations in Scotland that are equally fit for it. What are called clay lands in England, containing generally an admixture of sand, gravel, or stones, are not at all adapted to it. I don't know if it is practised any where in England, but it would succeed wherever the Essex method answers. An idea has prevailed that it was brought to Scotland from Ireland, but this is a mistake, arising, I presume, from the circumstance of the work being chiefly executed in this part of the country by Irish labourers, who have been trained to it in Galloway.

At first we were obliged to have the tools, as well as the workmen, from Wigtonshire; but they are now pretty well made by several smiths in this neighbourhood, and many of our own labourers are becoming expert drainers. A set of spades and a hoe made in the neighbourhood of Wigton, and delivered in Edinburgh or Glasgow, used to cost about L. I Sterling.

I have now, my dear Sir, given you all the information that I am possessed of on this interesting subject, and I fear you may think I have given you much that is unimportant, and a great deal of what I have said, I am sure was known to you before. My letter has run out to a greater length than I expected, but the short time prescribed for the communication does not admit of my condensing it, or

arranging it better. You will of course curtail as much of it as you may consider useless, before communicating its substance to the Society, and should any part of it appear to you, or to others, obscure, I shall be most ready to explain it as far as I can. remain, with great regard, My dear Sir, very faithfully yours,

I

CHA. ALEX". MOIR.

ON THE

IMPROVEMENT OF KELP.

BY

ANDREW FYFE, M. D. F. R. S. E.

LECTURER ON CHEMISTRY, EDINBURGH.

Ar a time when the Kelp Manufacture is threat

ened with a total overthrow, from the introduction of alkaline matter, by the decomposition of sea-salt, I conceive that no apology is necessary, for taking up the time of the Society, in laying before it a few remarks, which, it is to be hoped, may tend to the improvement of this important article.

Since I had the honour of addressing the Society on this subject, my attention has been frequently recalled to it, and the experiments in which I have been lately engaged, afford strong grounds for believing that I have at last found out the cause of the inferiority of kelp to barilla, with respect to the quantity of soda for which they are prized.

The experiments detailed in my former paper, led me to suppose, that there ought not to be any real difference between these articles, as the origin of the alkali seemed to me to be the same in both;