168 MANURES. 



the soil. Thus stiff clay soils are rendered lighter, 

 and more easily workable, by an admixture of sand, 

 while light blowy sands are compacted, and made 

 more retentive of manure, by a dressing of clay or 

 of muck. Of course, this cannot be depended on as 

 a sure means of chemical improvement, but in a 

 majority of cases the land will be benefited by mix- 

 ing with it soil of a different character. It is not 

 always necessary to go to other locations to procure 

 the earth to be applied, as the sub-soil is often very 

 different from the surface soil, and simple deep plow- 

 ing will suffice, in such cases, to produce the required 

 admixture, by bringing up the earth from below to 

 mingle it with that of a different character at the sur- 

 face. 



Until it is demonstrated that a large admixture of 

 the sub-soil will not lessen the fertility of the surface 

 (and in a large majority of cases it will not), it is 

 safest to deepen the plowing inch by inch. This 

 subject is worthy of the consideration of all farmers, 

 for there are very few cases in which the arable sur- 

 face will not be improved by the addition of matters 

 contained in the sub-soil. Even the earth thrown 

 from the bottom of deep ditches sometimes has an 

 astonishing effect on the fertility of the soil, and it 

 would be well to try the experiment of digging a 

 deep pit, spreading the earth taken from it on the 

 surface of the land. If this is found to have a good 

 effect, it will offer a ready means of improving the 

 soil. 



