LATEST ENGLISH ERRORS. 395 



established principles or precepts, for applying either lime or any 

 calcareous manure. It amounts to saying, that every new applica- 

 tion is a mere experiment; the result of which cannot even be con- 

 jectured from any facts previously known of other soils and other 

 manures. 



42. The next quotation, which is from an editorial article in the 

 Farmers' Journal of July 28, 1823, shows that the old opinion 

 still prevails, that marl is profitable only on sandy lands ; which 

 opinion carries with it the certain inference that it is the argillaceous 

 quality, rather than the calcareous, that operates. The editor is re- 

 marking on a new agricultural compilation by a Mr. Elkinson, and 

 ridiculing the author for his solemn annunciation of the truism 

 (in the editor's opinion), that t{ marling on sand is more useful than 

 on clay land." The reputation of Mr. Elkinson, says the editor, 

 " may remain undisturbed among the farmers of Lincolnshire for a long 

 time, who may never have chanced to meet with the old proverb, or have 

 taken a journey into the sandy district of Norfolk. We really do not know 

 whether it be as old as Jarvais Markham or not : but we have seen the 

 following lines in black letter : 



He that marls sand, may buy land ; 



He that marls moss, shall have loss ; 



He that marls clay, throws all away!" 



The editor then passes to a subject on which his admitted igno- 

 rance serves to prove that the improvement gained by marling 

 could not be simply the making a soil calcareous for, upon that 

 ground, when marl has once been plentifully given, and the laud 

 afterwards worked poor, there can be neither reason nor profit in a 

 second marling. Yet, as if the mode of operation was altogether 

 unknown, this passage follows : 



"It was once asked of the editor by a very good practical Norfolk far- 

 mer, ' whether land which had been once marled and worn out would re- 

 ceive the same benefit from a second marling?' It was answered, that an 

 experiment made on one field, or on one acre, would decide the point, but 

 conjecture led to nothing conclusive. It has often been observed that loose 

 land, after having been marled and out-cropped, deposited its marl in the 

 sub-soil, which therefore became more retentive [of water] ; and it has 

 been suggested, that deep ploughing ought to be tried, to bring this marl 

 again to the top. We hope that the point here in question has before now 

 been settled by practice in both ways ; though at the above period (about 

 1806), such facts had not reached the gentleman alluded to, although a 

 very intelligent man." 



There are copious descriptions of marl, and accounts of its use 

 and operation in several modern French works which I have seen 

 only since the first publication of this essay.* In all of these, 

 marl is correctly described, as being composed of carbonate of lime 



* "Cours Complet," &c., par l'Abb6 Kozier; "Maison Rustique, &c." 

 "Esgai sur la Marne," par M. Puvis. 



