On Paring and Burning. 239 



subsequently neglected, till their surface has become mossy, 

 and unproductive, or covered with a luxuriant crop of use- 

 less weeds, or coarse herbage. In these cases, paring and 

 burning is the proper system to render such land fit for ve- 

 getation. Experiments have been tried of its effects, com- 

 pared to ploughing merely, and the result has been, that 

 the burnt part, after yielding crops superior to the others 

 in tillage, was free from rushes, and covered with sweet 

 grasses, but that the other part, when laid down in grass, 

 was full of rushes, and coarse herbage ( z88 ). Indeed, where- 

 ever old swards, full of matted vegetable fibres, are broken 

 up, they ought always to be treated in that way. But this 

 observation, is not applicable to land that has lain only a 

 few years in grass ; or to any land capable of producing 

 good crops of grain, immediately on being ploughed ( a89 ). 



Sandy Soils. It can hardly be imagined, that fire would 

 add any thing to the nature of sand, or render it more fer- 

 tile. In the opinion of an eminent chemist, sandy soils can- 

 not be pared or burnt to advantage ( Z9 ) ; and as the ten- 

 dency of its operation on such a soil, would be to lessen any 

 small degree of cohesion which it may possess, from what- 

 ever cause arising, it must on that account be prejudi- 

 cial (* 91 ). 



Fertile Soils. Where the soil produces sweet herbage, 

 and contains a just mixture of good earth, or where the tex- 

 ture is already sufficiently loose, paring and burning ought 

 not to be practised ( Z9a ), nor ought turf, that will readily 

 harrow to pieces, be subjected to these processes. 



The practice, therefore, in Devonshire ( i93 ) and Cornwall, 

 of paring and burning their dry-stapled lands, as a prepara- 

 tion for wheat, seems to be carried to an extreme, which de- 

 mands the attention of those who are interested in preser- 

 ving the permanent fertility, and agricultural resources, of 

 these important districts. The soil there, naturally pro- 

 duces clean, sweet herbage, and never would become so 

 coarse and rough-skinned, as to require that operation. 

 Hence, an intelligent observer, has recommended it to the 

 men of landed property in that county, to guard against the 

 abuse of this practice (* 94 ). In Ireland also, it appears, that 

 paring and burning the soil, for obtaining potatoe crops, 

 have been carried to a very pernicious excess, and that much 

 injury will be sustained, both by the landlords and by the 

 public, if this practice is not put under some useful restric- 

 tions (* 95 ). 



2. The Instruments used for paring. The instruments pe- 



