146 GYPSEOUS MARL ON NEUTRAL SOILS, 



well as over the land which was still more calcareous by nature, 

 and which had produced better in 1820. In several places, the 

 white clover stood thickly a foot in height. 



Experiment 19. 



A strip of a quarter acre passing through rich black neutral 

 loam, covered with gypseous marl at 250 bushels, 



Results. 1818. In corn. By July, the marled part seemed the 

 best by 50 per cent., but afterwards the other land gained on it, 

 and little or no difference was apparent when the crop was matured, 



1819. Wheat no difference seen. 



1820 and 1821. At rest. In the last summer the marled strip 

 could again be easily traced, by the entire absence of sorrel (which 

 had been gradually increasing on this land since it had been 

 secured from grazing), and still more by its very luxuriant growth 

 of bird-foot clover, which was thrice as good as that on the adjoin- 

 ing ground. 



Experiment 20. 



1822. On a body of neutral soil which had been reduced quite 

 low, but was well manured in 1819 when last cultivated, gypseous 

 marl was spread on nine acres, at the rate of 300 bushels. This 

 terminated on one side at a strip of mussel-shell marl ten yards 

 wide its rate not remembered, trat it was certainly thicker, in pro- 

 portion to the calcareous earth contained, than the other, whic^I 

 always avoided laying on heavily, from a mistaken fear of causing 

 injury by too much gypsum. The line of division between the 

 two marls was through a clay loam. The suVsoil was a retentive 

 clay, which caused the rain water to keep the land very wet through 

 'the winter, and early part of spring. 



Results. 1822. In corn, followed by wheat in 1823 not particu- 

 larly noticed, but the benefits must have been very inconsiderable. 

 All the mussel-shell marling, and four acres of the gypseous, 

 sowed in red clover, which stood well, but was severely checked, 

 and much of it killed, by a drought in June, when the sheltering 

 wheat was reaped. During the next winter (by neglect) my 

 horses had frequent access to this piece, and by their trampling in 

 its wet state must have injured both land and clover. From these 

 disasters the clover recovered surprisingly; and in 1824, two mow- 

 ings were obtained, which, though not very heavy, were better than 

 from any of my previous attempts to raise this grass. In 1825, 

 the growth was still better, and yielded more to the scythe. This 

 was the first time that I had seen clover worth mowing on the 

 third year after sowing ; and had never heard of its being com- 

 parable to the second year's growth anywhere in the lower country. 

 The growth on the mussel-shell marling was very inferior to the 



