LINCOLNSHIRE. This county is famous for its fens. A general account of the great fen district of England, and of the changes which it has undergone, is given elsewhere. [BEDFORD LEVEL.] The artificial cuts or drains are very numerous; they are called by the several names of ' cuts," drains," learns,' ' droves," becks," eans,' and dykes' The chief among them, in this county, are the Car Dyke, the South Forty-Foot, the North Forty Foot, the East Fen Drain, the West, Fen Drain, the Old and New Hammond Becks, and the Shire Drain. Of navigable canals, besides the Ancholme, Louth, Horncastle, Sleaford, Bourn, and other navigations, there are only two ; viz, the Foss Dyke, and the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. When the works of the Great Northern Company are finished, Lin colnshire will be well supplied with railways.
The grazing land in this county cannot be surpassed in its capabilities for fattening cattle ; and some of the drained fens and warp lands along the rivers possess a high degree of fertility when cultivated. The lands which have been reclaimed from the sea by banking and draining are mostly laid in large farms, which require a considerable capital. In other parts of the county there are many small properties, cultivated by the owners, and kept with great neatness. Fish is much used as a manure. Ground bones are used very abundantly on the light sands. The grass lands of Lincolnshire are some of the best feeding lands in the kingdom. Some of the finest pastures are fed off by horses which are fatted for the markets. Several parts of Lin colnshire have been improved by warping.
The warping is effected by letting in the water of the rivers, which have a muddy current, by artificial channels and sluices, and retaining it there till low water. The river Humber carries off, in its course over various soils, all the finer particles which are too light to be immediately deposited. These consist of every kind of earth and portions of vegetable and animal matter, and are in such quantity that a layer one-tenth of an inch in thickness is often deposited between one tide and the next. Thus in a very short time a new soil is formed of any depth that may be desired, provided the land lies below the level of the river at high tides. Besides creating a soil, the warping fills up all inequalities, and a perfectly level surface is produced. The soil thus produced is of extreme fertility.
Lincolnshire is an agricultural county ; but a few manufactures are carried on in the towns. At Barton a considerable trade in corn is carried on ; and bricks, tiles, ropes, and sacking are extensively manufactured. Bo STON and Gar ai:ix have been noticed in earlier articles. At Bourn wool-stapling and tanning are carried on, and the town has some trade in leather and wool. Gainsborough has a busy trade. By means of the Trent, which falls into the Humber about 20 miles below the town, vessels of 200 tons' burthen can came up to the wharfs. Grantham has a trade in corn, malt, and coals. Lincoln the county town has a large trade in flour, and there are some extensive breweries noted for their ale.