136 CALCAREOUS MANURES-PRACTICE. 



and well graduated for marling, was supposed to be twenty-five feet in 

 perpendicular height ; and every trip of the carts, going and coming, crossed 

 a valley supposed to be fifteen feet deep, and both sides forming a hill- 

 side of that elevation. 



When only four and a half feet of the marl had been dug, a large mass 

 of earth fell into the pit, covered entirely the remaining one foot and a half 

 of marl, and stopped all passage for carts. To clear away this obstruction 

 would have cost more labor than the remaining marl was worth, and 

 therefore this pit was abandoned. This happened on May 10th, when six 

 hundred and ninety-nine loads had been carried out, and the work done 

 was equal to thirty-six days' work of one cart, (by adding together all the 

 working time of each,) which was nineteen and a half loads for the ave- 

 rage daily work of each cart, or fifty-eight for the three. The average size 

 of the loads, by trial, was five and a half heaped bushels; and the weight, 

 one hundred and one pounds the bushel. It was laid on at one hundred 

 and four loads, or five hundred and seventy-two bushels the acre. 



Labor employed for 699 loads, or 3844 bushels. 



2 men at 3 1 1: cents, 



2 boys at 1 9 cents, ... 



2 horses at 33 cents, ... 

 1 mule at 26^ cents, 



3 carts at 5 cents. 

 Tools at 3 cents, .... 



Daily expense, or for 58 loads, 



Digging and carting 699 loads at the same rate, 

 Add the total expense of removing earth, 



Spreading at 50 cents the 100 loads, 



Total expense. 



Which makes the cost per bushel, 1 25-100 cents, 

 per load, (5^) 7 

 per acre, of 572 bushels, $7 85 



This marl was laid on much too thick for common poor land, and one 

 fourth of the body uncovered was lost by the falling in of the earth. If 

 one fourth of the expense of uncovering the marl was deducted on ac- 

 count of this loss, it would reduce the whole expense nearly one eighth. 



As soon as the carts were stopped in the work just described, they were 

 employed in moving earth from similar marl, across the ravine. The 

 thickness, strength, and other qualities of the marl, on both sides, are not 

 perceptibly different. A large quantity had also been formerly dug on this 

 side, but the land being lower, the covering earth was not more than ten 

 feet where thickest, and the average was eight and a half or nine feet. To 

 make room for convenient working, and a large job, an unusual space was 

 cleared, ten to fourteen feet wide, and perhaps fifty or more long. The 

 shape of the adjoining old pits compelled tliis to bo irregular. The greater 



