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of trees, or when their surface entirely consists of liv- 

 ing vegetables, the wood or the vegetables must either 

 by carried off, or be destroyed by burning. In the 

 last case their ashes afford earthy ingredients, fitted to 

 improve the texture of the peat. 



The best natural soils are those of which the ma- 

 terials have been derived from different strata; which 

 have been minutely divided by air and water, and are in- 

 timately blended together: and in improving soils arti- 

 ficially, the farmer cannot do better than imitate the 

 processes of nature. 



The materials necessary for the purpose are sel- 

 dom far distant: coarse sand is often found immedi- 

 ately on chalk; and beds of sand and gravel are 

 common below clay. The labour of improving the 

 texture or constitution of the soil, is repaid by a great 

 permanent advantage; less manure is required, and its 

 fertility insured: and capital laid out in this way secures 

 for ever, the productiveness, and consequently the 

 value of the land. 



