Cultivation of Moorland. 391 



of adventurers, but sadly to my sorrow, as I have never had or 

 seen a g-ood or even tolerable crop of oats growing upon a " native 

 furrow " without lime. This disappointment led me to an analysis 

 of the soil in question, and arcordingly specimens were collected 

 and sent to Mr. J. C. Nesbit for his opinion upon them, and 

 were as quickly pronounced by him " as valueless without the 

 aid of lime ;" and he further assured me that these specimens of 

 our natural soil (taken from below the herbage) contained but a 

 mere trace of lime. Mr. Nesbit has kindly given me a second 

 analysis of our " brown (dry) soil," which I now supply in his 

 own words : — 



" Analysis of SamjAe of Soil, from Mr. liobert Smith, Emmetfs Grange. 



Per Cent. 



Moisture 28'IG 



Organic matter, &c. ll"90 



SiUceous matter (insohible) 55'74- 



Oxide of iron and akimina, with trace of phosphoric acid 3 "SO 



Lime 0-12 



Magnesia 0"12 



Soluble alkaline salts 0'07 



100-00 

 Nitrogen (equal to) 0'56 jier cent. 

 Ammonia ., .. 0"68 ,, 



J. C. ISESBIT." 



If an instance of the great value of agricultural chemistry was 

 wanting, surely we have here an important case, and one v*'hich 

 fully illustrates its general uses, but moi'c especially in the " testing 

 of new soils " before any experimental outlay of capital has been 

 hazarded upon them in the dark. Mr. Nesbit's analysis of some 

 soils that had been improved, and which accompanied the former 

 (by number) without name, were exceedingly interesting and 

 instructive as regards their newly-formed composition. 



There are also extensive ranges of thin moorland, such as grow 

 the stunted heather, English furze, and other dry -land weeds; 

 these are lying waste from other causes — namely, want of depth 

 and of freedom from large stones. If these wastes are situated 

 in good climates, they mai/ possibly be improved by culture and 

 the clearing of boulder and other stones. 



Tliis class of soils has often ( l)ut not always) the merit of requir- 

 ing but little draining, which, if it he the case, at once sets free 

 a good fimount of capital to be invested in their behalf in another 

 direction. The didiculty is how to deepen these soils with best 

 effect; but this is not always a necessary and least expensive 

 process, as some lands are found to crop best after comparatively, 

 and even after what some would think ridiculously, thin plough- 



