It will lie understood, from what is st tted, that wcro consists of the mud and salts It ft by the water that has been admitted; and that the technical phrase warp,' comprehends all the processes necessary to admit the tide water, and to deposit its sediment upon the field that is meant to be improved. Letting in fresh water would not be called warping, but simply flooding. Fresh water, though useful at proper seasons, would by no means answer the same purpose as river water stirred up by the tide; because it never could furnish a sufficient sediment for thickening the soil ; neither would the sedi ment left be of so rich a nature as what is furnished by tide water.
A more complete detail of the different operations, as given in the West York Survey, will throw additional light upon this subject.
These details were chiefly furnished by the right ho nourable lord Hawke, a nobleman of distinguished merit, and who had the agricultural interest of Britain much at heart ; though unfortunately, by his death, the country is now deprived ol the eminent talents which he pos sessed.
Lord Rawkr's .1crount the Irtr/ti%ng of Land "The land to be warped must be banked round against the river. The banks arc made of the earth ta ken on the spot from the land : they must slope six feet; that is, three feet on each side of their top or crown of the bank, for every foot perpendicular of rise: their top or crown is broader or narrower, according to the im petuosity of the tide, and the weight and quantity of water ; and it extends from two feet to twelve : their height is regulated by the height to which the spring tides flow, so as to exclude or let them in at pleasure. In those banks, there are more or fewer openings, ac cording to the size of the ground to be warped, and to the choice of the occupier; but in general they have only two sluices, one, called the flood-gate, to admit, the other, called the dough, to let off the water gently ; these are enough for ten or fifteen acres: When the spring tide begins to ebb, the flood-gate is open to admit the tide, the dough having been previously shut by the weight of water brought up the river by the flow of the tide. As the tide ebbs down the river, the weight or pressure of water being taken from the outside of the dough next the river, the tide water that has been previously admit ted by the flood-gate opens the dough again, and dis charges itself slowly, but completely through it. The cloughs are so constructed as to let the water run off, between the ebb of the tide that teas admitted, and the flow of the next; and to this point particular attention is paid : the flood-gates are placed so high as only to let in the spring tides when opened. They are placed above
the level of the common tides.
Willows are also occasionally planted on the front of the banks, to break the force of the tide, and de fend the banks by raising the front of them with warp thus collected and accumulated : but these willows must never be planted on the banks, as they would destroy the banks by giving the winds power to shake them.
The land warped is of every quality; but to be pro perly warped it must be situated within the reach of the spring tides, and on a level lower than the level of their flow. The land in general is not warped above one year in seven ; a year's warping will do for that time.
The land is as other land, various as to the preference of grain to be sown on it. Land has been raised consi derably by warping; one field of bad corn-land, good for nothing, was raised in three years fourteen inches : it lay idle for that time that it might be raised by warping, it was so.vn with Leans, and promised by appearance a crop of eight quarters. Il possible this shall be ascertained as to the quantity thrashed.
The warp consists of the mud and salts deposited by the ebbing tide: near Ilowden one tide will deposit an inch of mud, and this deposit is more or less according to the distance of the place from the Humber.
Cherry Cob Sands were gained from the }lumber by warping: They are supposed to be four yards thick ol warp at least: some of those were ploughed for twelve, fourteen, or sixteen years, before they would grow grass seeds : the greater part is now in feeding land, and makes very fine pastures.
The land must be in tillage for some considerable time after warping, for six years at least. The land if laid down to grass, and continued in grass, is not warp ed; for the salts in the mud would infallibly kill the grass seeds.
When it is proposed to sow the land again with corn, then the land is warped : when they find the grass de cline, then they warp and plough it out : as the land va ries in quality, so does the time during which it will pro duce good grass: the land is never followed but in the year when it is warped.
For a of a Clough, see Mr Young's Northern Tour, Vol. I. Plate III. p. 212. The flood-gates and sluices for letting in the water are like the common sluices and gates in canals for raising the water to assist the passage of boats ; sometimes also the flood gates or sluices are placed above the dough perpen dicularly.
On ENCLOSURES, and WOODS, or PLANTATIONS of TIM