

102 MARLING. [FEB. 



ef From different trials of my own, at a very 

 great ex pence, and the observations I have made 

 on my neighbours' and the Norfolk fanners' man- 

 ner of improving light sandy lands, by clay and 

 marie, I am clearly convinced, that about seventy 

 square yards* is the properest quantity to be 

 laid upon an acre of land, pole measure. If more 

 be laid on 3 the longer it will be before it incorpo- 

 rate with the soil, and of course, the longer before 

 any benefit can be received from it. I once saw an 

 instance, where a farmer laid on 320 loads, or 

 square yards per acre, and gave this reason for it, 

 that the land was so poor, he was sure he could 

 not hurt it. But the consequence of it was, that 

 after an cxpcnce that would have purchased the 

 fee-simple of the land, I could not see, for many 

 years, that he had done it any good, as it produced 

 no better (if so good) crops, as lands by the side of 

 it that had not been clayed at all, but otherwise 

 farmed the same. It has now, however, evidently, 

 the advantage of the other lands, having been done 

 above twenty years. 



" This trial was in the middle of a shiftablc field, 

 where, by the course of husbandry, two crops are 

 taken to one summer tilth ; and, \\hcre this is the 

 case, claying, &c. seldom (or never I might say) 

 answers the cxpencc : for cla\ing and marling 



* A square yard is as much as is generally carried for a load. 



being 



