140 EFFECTS ON " FREE LIGHT LAND." 



rotation, and continued to recover ; but did not surpass its first 

 crop until 1831, when it brought rather more than thirty bushels 

 of corn to the acre (estimated by the eye) being five or six 

 bushels more than its supposed first crop. 



Experiment 15. 



Adjoining this piece, six acres of similar soil were grubbed and 

 the trees belted in August, 1826 marl at 600 to 700 bushels (37 

 per cent.), spread just before. But few of the trees died until the 

 summer of 1827. In 1828, planted in corn ; the crop did not ap- 

 pear heavier than would have been expected if no marl had been 

 applied; but no part had been left without, for comparison. 1829, 

 wheat. 1830, at rest. 1831, in corn, and the product supposed to 

 be near or quite thirty -five bushels, or an increase of thirty-five or 

 forty per cent, on the first crop. No measurement was made ; but 

 the product was estimated by comparison with an adjacent piece, 

 which measured thirty-one bushels, and which seemed to be inferior 

 to this piece. 



The operation of marl on this kind of soil seems to add to the 

 previous product very slowly, compared with other soils ; but it is 

 not the less effectual and profitable in fixing and retaining the vege- 

 table matter accumulated by nature, which otherwise would be 

 quickly dissipated by cultivation, and lost for ever. 



The remarkable sandy and open texture of the soil on which the last 

 two experiments were tried, will be evident from the following state- 

 ment of the quantity and coarseness of the silicious sand contained. 

 1000 grains of this soil, taken in 1826 from the part that had been 



both limed and marled, was found to consist of 

 811 of silicious sand moderately coarse, mixed with a few grains 



of coarse shelly matter (the remains of the marl). 

 158 finely divided earthy matter, part fine sand, as well as clay 



and organic matter. 

 31 loss. 



1000 



At the same time, from the edge of the adjoining wood-land 

 which formed the next described experiment, 15, and which had 

 not then been marled, a specimen of soil was taken from between 

 the depths of one and three inches and found to consist of the 

 following proportions. This spot was believed to be rather lighter 

 than the other in its natural state. 

 865 grains of silicious sand, principally coarse, 

 107 finely divided earthy matter (partly fine sand), &c. 



28 loss. 



1000 



