94 CALCAREOUS MANURES-PRACTICE. 



1820. Wheat— less difference. 



1821.' Grazed. Natural growth of white clover thickly set on the gyp- 

 seous marling, much thinner on the muscle-shells, and still less of it where 

 no marl had been applied. 



The whole field afterwards was put in wheat on summer fallow every 

 second year, and grazed closely the intervening year — a course very unfavor- 

 able for observing, or permitting to take place, any effects of gypsum. Nothing 

 more was noted of this experiment until 1825, when cattle were not turned 

 in until the clover reached its full size. The strip covered with gypseous 

 marl showed a remarkable superiority over the other marled piece, as well 

 as over the land which was still more calcareous by nature, and which had 

 produced better in 1820. In several places, the white clover stood thickly a 

 foot in height. 



Experiment 19. 



A strip of a quarter acre passing through rich black neutral loam, co- 

 vered with gypseous marl at 250 bushels. 



Results. 1818. In corn. By July, the marled part seemed the best by 

 50 per cent., but afterwards the other land gained on it, and little or no 

 difference was apparent when the crop was matured. 



1819. Wheat — no difference seen. 



1820 and 1821. At rest. In the last summer the marled strip could 

 again be easily traced, by the entire absence of sorrel, (which had been 

 gradually increasing on this land since it had been secured from grazing,) 

 and still more by its very luxuriant gi"owth of bird-foot clover, which was 

 thrice as good as that on the adjoining ground. 



Experiment 20. 



1822. On a body of neutral soil which had been reduced quite low, but 

 was well manured in 1819 when last cultivated, gypseous marJ was spread 

 on nine acres, at the rate of 300 bushels. This terminated on one side at 

 a strip of muscle-shell marl ten yards wide^-its rate not remembered, but 

 it was certainly thicker in proportion to the calcareous earth contained, than 

 the other, which I always avoided laying on heavily, from a mistaken fear of 

 causing injury by too much gypsum. The line of division between the two 

 marls was through a clay loam. The subsoil was a retentive clay, which 

 caused the rain water to keep the land very wet through the winter, and 

 early part of spring. 



Results. 1822. In corn, followed by wheat in 1823 — not particularly no- 

 ticed, but the benefits must have been very inconsiderable. All the muscle- 

 shell marling, and four acres of the gypseous, sowed in red clover, which 

 stood well, but was severely checked, and much of it killed, by a drought 

 in June, when the sheltering wheat was reaped. During the next winter 

 (by neglect) my horses had frequent access to this piece, and by their tram- 

 pling in its wet state must have injured botli land and clover. From these 

 disasters the clover recovered surprisingly; and in 1824, two mowings 

 were obtained, which, though not heavy, were better than from any of my 

 previous attempts to raise this grass. In 1825, the growth was still better, 

 and yielded more to the scythe. This was the first time that I had seen 

 clover worth mowing on the third year after sowing — and had never heard 

 of its being comparable to the second year's growth any where in the 

 lower country. The growth on the muscle-shell marling was very inferior 



