324 



Or the Use of Burnt Clay 



scouring- of ditclies, and ru-bbish of every kind) ; but if sufficient 

 turf can be raised to form the walls of the clamps^ wc find that 

 with the assistance of a few more roots or fagots a great deal of 

 clay with very little of any vegetable matter can be reduced to 

 ashes. The fires require watching at night as well as in the day- 

 Mme, that they may not go out ; and the clay al^^ ays burns best 

 that has been dug a week or two before clamping. 



I have invariably found the application of burnt earth attended 

 with beneficial effects^ though I have not made any experiments 

 by which to ascertain the exact amount of advantage. When ashes 

 have been used, the land works much more freely for several years, 

 is sooner dry, and the produce is considerably increased. Upon 

 both farms I h?cve succeeded in raising the average produce of 

 wheat nearly 10 bushels per acre, and other crops in proportion. 

 The average used to vary from 15 bushels to 25 bushels per 

 acre, now from 25 bushels to 35 bushels ; and I have found 

 burnt clay one of the most useful auxiliaries in producing this 

 satisfactory result. 



I have also found ashes very useful upon heavy grass-land, 

 greatly improving the quality of the herbage, and enabling me to 

 keep more stock. Upon one field in ^"jarticular, which had been 

 badly laid down, the quality of the herbage has been so much 

 improved by the application of burnt earth, that I have determined 

 to let it remain in grass, instead of breaking it up, as I before in- 

 tended. 



The quantity used on strong arable land varies from 40 yards 

 to 50 yards per acre ; on woodland arable, 30 yards is sufficient ; 

 on grass-land from 20 yards to 25 yards. For grass-land I some- 

 times mix the ashes with unburnt earth, lime, and a small cjuan- 

 tity of yard-manure, to form compost heaps. 



The ashes are generally carted on in a dry time, as soon as 

 convenient after harvest, and put upon clover-leys, bean or tare 

 stubbles, or fallows, either for wheat, barley, or oats, as the case 

 may be, and I have occasionally used them upon young seeds. I 

 consider the effect lasts seven or eight 3'cars, when, if a supply 

 can be provided, they may very safely be repeated. 



Very truly vours, 



F. Pym. 



The Hazells, Baldock. 



Having been allovred by Mr. Pym to inspect his heaps of burnt 

 clay at the Hazells, I found that many of them contained so much 

 lime as to deserve the name of marl. There was one heap of mere 

 clay ; but, as it was burnt in a fresh situation, it did not appear 

 quite clearly that this clay had ever been successfully applied to 



