326 On the Use of Burnt Clay. 



the clay red, but black ; though this is very difficult indeed to manage, 

 depending very much on the wind ; and it is best effected by making 

 heaps of not less than 60 or 100 loads in each ; and these will take from 

 two to three months to burn. All inexperienced hands use too much 

 fuel, get their fires too fierce, lay their stuff too hollow, make a great 

 deal of smoke, — whereas the less they make the better, — get their heaps 

 to a red heat, and burn them through in a week or ten days; and the 

 consequence is, that, when those heaps are opened, instead of ashes, or 

 lumps that will fall by exposure into ashes, out roll knobs as hard and 

 as useless as brick-ends. Much also depends on the size of the clay- 

 lumps, and their state of humidity ; if too dry they will burn too fierce, 

 and if too wet they will not burn at all. And again, there is a great 

 deal in the management of the fire, which we make of refuse coals from 

 the pits, at about 3.9. for a waggon-load. You, I expect, would use 

 fagot-wood, and that might simplify the process. 



" If you have a quantity of clay- land, and fuel cheap, I have no doubt 

 you would find the benefit of the clay-burning system ; but, have it 

 well done, or do not make the attempt. As general observations, 

 nothing more occurs to me than to add that these ashes should be laid 

 on thick, chiefly on fallows, and at the rate of 40 cart-loads, or nearly, 

 to the acre." 



Specimens of the earth used in this case are some of them marl 

 and some clay. Altogether, it does not appear quite clearly that 

 clay without lime can be used for this purpose ; particularly as it 

 is more apt to burn into hard lumps than marl. But our cold 

 clay-lands are so much in want of any substance which would open 

 them, that the process appears to deserve a trial on a small scale, 

 even where they are not found to contain any lime. — ph. pusey. 



XXIV.— 0/1 the Failure of the Red Clover. By the Rev. W. 



Thorp. 



A SEVERE loss frequently occurring to agriculturists is the de- 

 struction of the red and white clover crop, the cultivation of which 

 is of so much importance that every exertion should be made to 

 secure a full crop ; for upon its success depends the number of 

 sheep to be sustained during the summer, the quantity of fodder 

 for horses in the winter, and the ensuing corn-crop is materially 

 influenced by the weight of the produce consumed on the land. 

 There is, however, in this climate no plant more difficult of cul- 

 ture in the early periods of its growth, or which so frequently fails 

 in its progress towards maturity, or of which by repetition the land 

 is said to be so soon tired. Upon the magnesian limestone nearly 

 one-half of the red clover sown fails (200 acres out of 450) ; upon 

 the chalk wolds of Yorkshire, owing to frequent failures, many 



