MARLING NOT TO MAKE SOIL CALCAREOUS. 387 



by the Agricultural Surveyor of Lancashire, in his Report to the 

 Board of Agriculture (of which Sir John Sinclair was president), 

 and the calcareous character of the soil is inferred from its being 

 of the "new red sand-stone formation/' which is highly calcareous, 

 and also from Morton's speaking of the " red marl" in some parts 

 forming the surface soil. 



25. The Report of the Agricultural Survey of Lancashire (made 

 to and published by the Board of Agriculture) states the general 

 practice, and also particular cases of the enormous quantities and 

 consequent -great cost of the marlings of that country. All the 

 marl (or " clay" as called in some cases) is calcareous. It lies 

 under the surface generally of every field, and at no great depth, 

 and sometimes forms the surface soil. Of course the access to 

 and working the marl could not well be cheaper. Yet so heavy 

 are the usual dressings, 3000 to more than 10,000 bushels to the 

 statute acre, that the improvement is very costly. Actual expendi- 

 tures are stated ranging from $35 to $65 the acre, for a single 

 marling, at short distances and with the other usual facilities of the 

 locality. We might safely infer that these great labours are not 

 necessary or even useful for the purpose of furnishing lime to the 

 soil; and still less if to a soil already calcareous. And of the 

 correctness of this inference the author leaves no doubt in the fol- 

 lowing subsequent passage of his Report : 



" Undoubtedly the calcareous matter contained in either marl [i. e. the 

 "richer marl" having 40 per cent, or more, or the "clay," of 20 or 22 

 per cent, of carbonate of lime], is of the highest importance ; but obviat- 

 ing the natural deficiencies of the soil, by adding sand to clay, or clay to 

 sand, is of more consequence than the mere calcareous stimulus, which 

 might be obtained at a much lighter expense" [by liming]. 



26. Of the agricultural character of the lands on the " new red 

 sand-stone formation" (which includes the red marl land of Lan- 

 cashire), Morton says 



" In Devon and Somersetshire, this is an unctuous friable clay, or red 

 marly soil of the first quality. It is friable enough for turnips, yet suffi- 

 ciently tenacious for beans and wheat, and produces the richest ajid most 

 luxuriant crops of any soil in the kingdom ; and the only manure that seems 

 necessary is the application of lime, with which it produces increased crops on 

 every repetition. The effects of lime on the red marl, are much greater is. 

 Somerset and Devonshire than in any other portion of the soil of this 

 formation. 



" Wherever the red marl comes to the surface, it forms a rich red fria- 

 ble loam," &c. "The nature of the soil is clay, calcareous matter or marl, 

 slippery and greasy when wet, and of a soapy feel when dry," &c. (Mor- 

 ion on Soils, 4th London ed., pp. 70, 71.) 



Now whatever may be the benefits, and however great, of apply- 

 ing lime to these already calcareous soils (if the so called " marl" 

 is indeed calcareous), the operation is most certainly not that of 

 calxing, or the marling which I have recommended. 



