CALCAREOUS MANURES-PRACTICE. 



71 



matured was dry enough to grind, or even to be stored for keeping; and 

 when the ears from the poorest land were in a state to lose considerably- 

 more by shrinking. Yet, for fear of some mistake occurring if measure- 

 ments were delayed until the crop was gathered, these experiments were 

 measured when the land was ploughed for wheat in October. The subse- 

 quent loss from shrinking would of course be greatest on the corn from 

 the poorest and most backward land, as the most defective and unripe 

 ears would always be there found. Besides, every ear, however imperfect or 

 rotten, was included in the measurement. For these several reasons, the 

 actual increase of product on the marled land was always greater than will 

 appear from the comparison of quantities measured ; and from the state- 

 ments of all such early measurements, there ought to be allowed a deduc- 

 tion, varying from 10 or 15 per cent, on the best and most forward corn, 

 to 30 or 35 per cent, on the latest and most defective. Having stated the 

 grounds of thife estimate, practical men can draw such conclusions as their 

 experience may direct, from the dates and amounts of the actual measure- 

 ments that will be reported. Some careful trials of the amount of shrink- 

 age in particular experiments will be hereafter stated. 



No grazing had been permitted on any land from which experiments will 

 be reported, since 1814, (or since being cleared, if in forest at that time,) 

 unless the contrary shall be specially stated. The cropping had also been 

 mild, during that time, though previously it was the usual exhausting 

 three-shift and grazing course. 



CHAPTER II. 



EFFECTS OF CALCAREOUS MANURES ON ACID SANDY SOILS, NEWLY CLEARED. 



Proposition 5 — continued. 



As most of the experiments on new land were made on a single piece of 

 twenty-six acres, a general description or plan of the whole will enable me 

 to be better understood, as well as to be more concise, by references being 

 made to the annexed figure. It forms part of the ridge or high table land 

 lying between James river and the nearest stream running into Powell's 

 creek. The surface is nearly level, but slightly undulating. The soil in its 

 natural state very similar throughout, but the part next to the line B C 



