Salutary Effects of Fire ^ on Soils. 219 



are every where to be found. A neat and managing 

 successor to one slovenly and negligent, will be re- 

 warded for his exertions, by burning on his fields the 

 incumbrances left by his careless predecessor. 



I do not mean to say, that burning of land may not 

 be carried too far. Extreme cases prove nothing. Like 

 wagers, they are often the ne plus ultra of controver- 

 sy ; when argument is deficient. A certain quantity of 

 lime is salutary ; but an overchcirge is destructive. 

 Some soils will bear, and require, heavier liming than 

 others. Soils differ in their capacities, textures and 

 qualities, so as to be injured or ameliorated, as much 

 when FIRE is applied, as when any other manure or 

 auxiliary is used. The use or abuse of fire must be 

 discovered by experiment ; as must any other opera- 

 tion in husbandry. And, certainly, the safest mode is, 

 to begin moderately ; and increase or diminish, as ex- 

 perience dictates. I add, however, that I never yet saw 

 an instance, the one hereafter mentioned excepted, 

 where injury had been done in this way ; although I 

 have myself cleared much land, originally ; and burn- 

 ed vast heaps of timber and brush, both on new and 

 worn lands.* Yet I have one decisive proof of the in- 



* Our correspondent, Mr. Lorain^ [pages 112, 113,] condemns 

 what is called the Yankee mode of clearing new lands ; preferring 

 the girdling method, [for an account of which, see our list of premi- 

 ums ; Vol. I pages xlii, xliii.] This is not a place to enter into 

 that subject; with which I profess to be tolerably well acquainted. 

 It is the vile mode of farming (common to both) — scratching with 

 harrows only, stubbling in crop after crop, of culmiferous plants ; 

 where it is not left under grass choked with nuisances, — and not 

 the FIRE, which merits the severest condemnation. Neither mod? 



