190 



On Improving Cirri/ Soils. 



Vol. III. 



iiiKJer the artificial culture falls short of that 

 which'nature itself aflbrded. 



Much may be learned from the practice of 

 market gardeners, in tlif neighborhood of Lon- 

 don and elsewhere. They have two methods 

 of trenching their land. When the soil and 

 subsoil are good to a great depth, they turn 

 the surface under and fetch up a fre^Ii spit 

 from below to constitute the surftco for so 

 many. years; hut when the subsoil is poor, or 

 strong clay, they bastard trench it, as they 

 call if; that is, they tlirow the surface spit for- 

 ward, always keeping it uppermost, and dig 

 the subsoil by turnmg it over in the trench 

 without moving it from its place. 



Their object in thus trenching their clay 

 soils is to get depth for the rain-water to de- 

 scend, and to give a greater depth of moisture 

 to the roots of plants in dry weather, and for 

 the superabundant moisture in wet weather 

 to descend below the roots of plants, and run 

 off to the drain. 



If we perfectly drain thin clay soil by fur- 

 row draining, and deepen the subsoil by trench- 

 ing with the spade or the subsoil plough, 

 making it pervious to the moisture wUiich falls 

 on it, that it may immediately sink to a depth 

 below the roots of the plants, the cultivated 

 surface will be dry; and if we reduce the 

 tenacity of the soil by applying to it those 

 light or sandy substances, which, v\ hen well 

 incorporated with it, will make and keep the 

 soil permanently porous and friable, then the 

 land which befiire produced only a poor crop 

 of carnation grass, or if arable, of oats, will 

 now produce an abundantcropof wheat, beans, 

 oats, clover, and even turneps; and if prop- 

 erly laid down, and full of manure, will tbrm 

 a rich pasturage for any kind of stock. 



When clay soils have dry pervious subsoils, 

 they become darker in color from the repeated 

 application of manures, and under a proper 

 system of cultivation they loose their adhe- 

 siveness, and become a loamy soil, producing 

 the most fruitful crops of wheat, beans, clo- 

 ver, vetches, cabbage, and naturally produce 

 the best and richest herbage for dairy cows. 

 The milk from cows fed on such pasture pro- 

 duces more cheese and butter than the milk 

 from cows fed on a sandy soil, and of a better 

 quality. 



Anything which will produce permanent 

 friability in clay soils, such as sand, lime, burnt 

 clay, loose light vegetable matter, or long 

 unfermented manure, will alter its texture 

 and improve its quality. 



When tenacious soils arc completely sub- 

 soil drained, and a system of deep or sub- 

 soil ploutrhing is adopted, every time when 

 the land is in summer fallow, if the soil b(> 

 deepened and the subsoil made more porous; 

 and if never ploughed when too wet, and a 

 full portion of vegetable manure be given to 



the soil, and well mixed with it, a mechanical 

 effect will be produced, which will change 

 the nature and texture of the soils, and give 

 to it that friability which is so essential in all 

 productive soils. The rain tliat falls on it will 

 now percolate through it to the depth of the 

 new Ibrmed subsoil, and thence to the furrow 

 drains. 



The soil now receives the circulation of the 

 air, which is carried on by the rains filling up 

 the interstices which the air prcviou.-ly occu- 

 pied, and the complete drainage draws off all 

 the superabundant water as it falls. By this 

 operation the earth again receives a fresh 

 supply of air from the atmosphere, which pro- 

 motes a chemical as well as mechanical action 

 in the .soil, and hastens the decomposition of 

 the air and water, as well as the vegetable 

 and animal manure it contains, and thus a 

 liberal supply of the nourishment necessary 

 for the growth of plants is obtained. 



Soil that is principally composed of calca- 

 reous matter, in minute divisions, becomes a 

 most tenacious stubborn soil; and, under cer- 

 tain circumstances, as sterile as the most 

 worthless clay. Calcareous matter, therefore, 

 althouirh reckoned a valuable constituent in a 

 soil, becomes an evil when it composes tht 

 greater part of it. 



I Calcareous clay, when thoroughly dried 

 falls to pieces like" burnt lime, whenever it is 

 again wetted. Every poor clay soil may b( 

 much improved by paring and burning the 

 surface, after it has been completely drained 



This is the first step that ought to be taker 

 towards meliorating such a .soil, and the mon 

 clayey the soil is, the deeper ought the soiltc 

 be burnt. When the burnt surface is mixet- 

 with the soil to the depth of the furrow, ii 

 acts as a coarse sand, and makes it more fri- 

 able and porous, by converting the matter 

 which was before damp and adhesive, into a 

 dry, friable, warm soil, permanently improvec 

 and capable of producing luxuriant crops of 

 every kind. 



If we can get depth and friability to the 

 subsoil of strong adhesive clay, we thereby 

 prevent stagnant water from injuring the 

 roots, and give to the plants the liberty of 

 sending their roots to a greater depth in search 

 of nourishment. 



In all rich soils there is veo-etable matter 

 in every state of decay, and the greater this 

 portion of decaying vegetable matter is in 

 strong clay soils, the greater is its productive 

 powers. Besides this, decomposing vegetable 

 matter will tend to keep strong clay land loose, 

 friable, and porous. — London Farmers' Mag- 

 (izincfor October. 



fnfrratitude isof all ciimes what in our- 

 selves we account the most venal — in others, 

 the most unpardonable. 



