PRESERVING OP VEGETABLE MATTER. 1G7 



The greater part of the calcareous earth applied at one time 

 cannot begin to act as manure before several years have passed, 

 owing to the coarse state of many of the shells, and the want of 

 thoroughly mixing them with the soil. Therefore, if enough marl 

 is applied to obtain its full effect on the first course of crops, there 

 will certainly be too much afterwards. 



Perhaps the greatest profit to be derived from marling, though 

 not the most apparent in the first few years, is on such soils as are 

 fall of wasting vegetable matter. Here the effect is mostly pre- 

 servative, and the benefit and profit may be great, even though the 

 increase of crop may be very inconsiderable. Putrescent manure 

 laid on any acid soil, or the natural vegetable cover of those newly 

 cleared, without marl, would soon be lost, and the crops reduced to 

 one-half or less. But when marl is previously applied, this waste 

 of fertility is prevented ; and the estimate of benefit should not 

 only include the actual increase of crop caused by marling, but as 

 much more as the amount of the diminution which would otherwise 

 have followed. Every intended clearing of wood-land, and espe- 

 cially of those under a second growth of pines, ought to be marled 

 before cutting down ; and it will be still better if it can be done 

 several years before. If the application is delayed until the new 

 land is brought under cultivation, though much putrescent matter 

 will be saved, still more must be wasted. By using marl some 

 years before obtaining a crop from it, as many more successive 

 growths of leaves will be converted to useful manure, and fixed in 

 the soil ; and the increased fertility will more than compensate for 

 the delay. By such ai> operation, the farmer makes a loan to the 

 soil, at a distant time for payment, but on ample security, and at a 

 high rate of compound interest. 



Some experienced (though certainly not land-improving) culti- 

 vators have believed that the most profitable way to manage pine 

 old fields, when cleared of their second growth, was to cultivate 

 them every year, until worn out because, as they said, such land 

 would not last much longer, no matter how mildly treated. This 

 opinion, which would seem at first so absurd, and in opposition to 

 all the received rules for good husbandry, is considerably supported 

 by the properties which are here ascribed to such soils. When 

 these lands are first cut down, an immense quantity of vegetable 

 matter is accumulated on the surface, which, notwithstanding its 

 accompanying acid quality, is capable of making two or three crops 

 nearly as good as the land was ever before able to bring. But aa 

 the soil has no power to retain this vegetable matter, it will begin 

 rapidly to decompose and waste, as soon as exposed to the sun ; 

 and will be lost, except so much as is caught, while escaping, by 

 the roots of growing crops. The previous application of marl. 



