Improvement of arable Land. 1 1 5 



SECTION XX. 



Of Improvements hy Claying of Land, 



THO* Clayey Soils are very apt to retain 

 Water on the Surface, fo as to chiil 

 the Plants and Produfts, yet the Black and 

 the Yellow are very well approved for Corn ^ 

 they hold Manure better than any other 

 Lands, and yield the beft Grain, efpeci- 

 ally where there is a Mixture of Lime- 

 flone. But to come to the Improvements 

 by Clay 5 Clay is commended as a confidera- 

 ble Improver of light and fandy Grounds 5 

 bur it is good to try it in different Lands^ 

 both arable and pafture ^ and for feveral times, 

 at feveral Seafons, and likewife in fevera-1 

 Proportions 5 by which means you may find 

 out the true Value of it, as you may by the 

 fame Method all fubterranean Manures. This 

 Claying of Ground has been pradis'd many 

 Years in fome Parts of Torkfjire ^ and the 

 manner of doing it is thus: The Clay the 

 Inhabitants have near, and after they have 

 bared away two Yards deep of Sand, they 

 fink a Pit about fix Yards in Depth, and eight 

 or ten fquare ; out of this Pit they dig Clay, 

 of a blueifli brown Colour, not fandy at all, 

 but clofe, far, and very ponderous,^ and that 

 burns well for Bricks : This they do about 

 CI4 MiJ-^ 



