360 On Pariny and Burning. 



lenders, and in this way obtained from 37,205 grs., or about 

 51 lbs. :— 



Grains. 



Large stones 3,318 



Smaller stones left on a i-inch sieve 1,438 



Small stones and indurated clay left on a ^-inch sieve 10,691 



Soil left on a ^-incli sieve 9,135 



;g-inch „ 9,954 



„ ^ij-inch „ 1,820 



Very fine soil, which passed through a 5^-inch sieve 849 



37,205 



The five last portions were well mixed tog^ether, finely pow- 

 dered, and the whole ])assed through the finest sieve ; a portion 

 of this was then employed for analysis. 



The second soil, on analysis, gave the following results : — 



Composition of Soil from the neighhourJiood of Cirencester. 

 (TFe// adapted for hurning.') 



Moisture "93 



Organic matter 10*67 



Oxides of iron and alumina 13"40 



Carbonate of lime, with a little sulphate of lime . . 23*90 



Carbonate of magnesia 1*10 



Phosphoric acid . . trace 



Potash -38 



Soda *13 



Insoluble silicious matter (chiully clay) 49*66 



100*17 



This is a much deeper soil than the preceding one ; it is 

 tolerably free from stones, and extremely stiff and difficult to 

 wcrk. Like many other soils resting on forest marble clay, it is 

 rather wet, though it had been drained. It affords an example of 

 land called in the district heavy land. 



Both the light and the heavy soil contain more than an 

 average proportion of organic matters. Their destruction by fire 

 does in nowise injure the land in either case, for both contain a 

 large amount of cla^'^, which, it is well known, possesses in a 

 high degree the property of absorbing ammonia and moisture 

 from the atmosphere ; and as burning tends to accumulate in the 

 surface-soil a large proportion of saline mineral matters, and 

 otherwise improves the mechanical condition of the land, we 

 need not lament the dissipation of organic matters by heat. 



The first soil presents us with an instance, showing how 

 desirable it is not to be content, in descriptions of agricultural 

 operations, with general terms, such as light land ; lor such 

 terms are apt to mislead others not acquainted with the true 



