OCT.] HIRING FARMS. 475 



loams, are of all soils the most profitable ; such as 

 \vill admit tillage soon after rain, and do not Lake on 

 hot gleams of sun coming after heavy rains, when 

 finely harrowed : such land is better worth forty shil- 

 lings an acre than many soils deserve five. 



The next soil I shall mention is that of the stiff 

 loam, which is nearest allied to brick earth ; this, till 

 drained, is in general an unkindly soil, without plenty 

 of manure. It is known in winter by being very adhe- 

 sive upon walking over it ; is long in drying, even when 

 little or no water is seen upon it : for which reason it 

 is generally late in the spring before it can be ploughed- 

 When quite dry, it breaks up neither so hard and 

 cloddy as mere clay, nor near so crumbly and mel- 

 low as the good loam. If it is in stubble, it is apt to 

 be covered with a minute green moss. There are 

 many varieties of this soil, but all agree in most of 

 these circumstances, and in being what the farmers 

 call poor, cold, hungry land. When hollow-ditched, 

 and greatly manured, it yields any thing ; but those 

 who hire it should forget neither of these expences. 



The gravelly soils are numerous in their kind, and 

 very different in their natures. Warm, dry, sound 

 gravelly loams, are easily distinguished in winter. 

 They admit ploughing all winter through, except in 

 very wet times ; always break up in a crumbly state 

 of running moulds ; and if a stubble, will dig on 

 trial by the spade, in the same manner. If under 

 turnips, you may perceive, by walking through them, 

 that it will bear their being fed off. 



The wet, cold, springy gravel, is a very bad soil ; 

 it is known in winter by the wetness of it ; and in 



spring, 



