116 On the method of burning Mud or Clay, 



dependance upon a manuie, however valuable it may be as far as 

 it will go, jet to be obtained in limited and incompetent quan- 

 tities; and in its nature fugacious, and of short duration. 

 Whereas burnt claj, or burnt blue mud, is to be acquired in 

 vast abundance, and is preferable to dung, both in ejffect, eco- 

 nomy, and duration. 



Let any unprejudiced farmer read, in our volumes, and the 

 authorities therein cited, the facts proving the almost magical 

 " effects ofjire on soils,'* and he will banish all incredulity on 

 such subjects. Since I communicated my experience on this 

 topic, in our third Volume, page 214, I have met with many in- 

 stances in corroboration ; and am confirmed, incontrovertibly, 

 in all I have said recommendatory of the practice. In my 

 early life, I had much experience in the application of river 

 mud, in all the modes theii known. I therefore do not treat the 

 subject as a mere theorist ; but with practical knowledge. Burn- 

 ing either mud or clay into ashes, was, in my youth, unknown. 

 The blue mud was then pulverised by being exposed in ridges, 

 to a winter's frosts ; and applied to loamy or sandy soils, with 

 surprising effect. Without decomposition, it lies, for years, an 

 inert mass- Fire, frost, or time, when lying in a cover of fre- 

 quently stirred soil, will produce the required decomposition. 

 One-third of the mud, burnt into ashes, will fertilise more than 

 three times the quantity of the raw material. The like effect 

 is produced by clay ashes. But Mr. Warner's allowance of 

 fifty cart-loads of mud ashes to the acre, is profuse. In all the 

 accounts of the requisite quantities of day ashes, I have never 

 seen or heard of more than 25 to 30 cart-loads being spread on 

 an acre. R. P. 



May, 1815.] 



