The conversion of hogs into good pasture or arable laud, is a subject of national importance. There can be no doubt that much of the land now occupied by B. is capable of being rendered very productive. whilst the effects of extensive bogs upon the climate are always injurious. The reclaiming of shallow mountain bogs is compara tivel• easy, and in sonic cases it is effected by a very simple amp inexpensive draimeT, and by throwing them at once under cultivation in a manner analogous to that known in Ireland as tile lazy-bcd method of planting potatoes—the soil upon which the B. rests being partially Jigged up and thrown over its surface. Great difficulties, however, attend the reclaiming of red bogs. It has unfortunately happened, particularly in he land, that the tenures of land, and the want of capital on the part of the owners of estates, have formed the most insuperable of all obstacles to improvements of this kind, which, however, have been carried on to no inconsiderable extent since the middle of the 18th c., and have in general proved highly remunerative. A chief difficulty, in some cases, is caused by the low situation of the B., and the want of fall for drainage. Another great difficulty is presented by the spongy substance of red bogs being extremely retentive of water, so that a deep ditch only drains a very narrow strip on each side of it. A difficulty has been also found in disposing of the peat, where a good soil being known to exist below, it has been attempted to reclaim land by removing the peat instead of draining it and converting its own surface into soil. To some extent, in such cases, Inc peat is advantageously disposed of for fuel, or to be used as a of manure for other soils; but the demand for these purposes is often insufficient for any other than a very slow process of improvement iu an extensive B. The peat is, therefore, some times, by various means, floated off, as in the long-continued operations at Blair-Drum mond. on the banks of the Forth, the results of which have for many years formed a
peculiar feature on the shores and in the bays of the tipper part of the firth of Forth, But when a similar method was more recently introduced in an extensive moss in the low lands of Renfrewshire, the Clyde trustees interposed to prevent it, in the interests of the navigation of the river. A portion of the peat, taken from the upper surface, is not unfrequently burned ir. heaps upon the spot, the ashes a manure, and assisting in the formation of a soil.
Of course, the first essential in the reclaiming of bogs is drainage. The method of effecting this must be varied according to circumstances; but very frequently, after a general outlet with sufficient fall has been secured, wide open drains are cut, by which the bog is divided into strips, NvhiCh again 'are traversed and subdivided by smaller drains. When these drains begin to serve their purpose, the surface of the bog sinks, and their depth is reduced; they arc then often deepened, and at last a permanent system of covered drains emptying themselves into open ditches is thus formed, and tits the land for all the purposes of agriculture. It is, however, often plowed before this state of things is attained, the plow-horses being shod with the pollens already mentioned, and socks and coulters of unusual sharpness being employed for the cutting of the bog. Various implements have also been devised for cutting the moss, to facilitate cultivation. Lime, calcareous sand, clay, and other manures are applied, according to circumstances, to promote the conversion of the peat into useful soil. Sometimes the first crop taken from the plowed bog is a crop of oats; sometimes it is found preferable to begin with rape, turnip; or the like. In some places in time north of Ireland, florin grass (see BENT has been sown on bogs in process of being reclaimed, and enormous crops have 1A.1 n obtained.—See WASTE LANDS.