vn] THE RISE OF THE SANDS 115 



lime and sulphate of ammonia applied in two dressings 

 later on ; for wheat or oats, 1 cwt. nitrate of soda or 

 lime or sulphate of ammonia, cwt. sulphate of 

 potash and f cwt. of bone meal; for peas, ^ cwt. 

 sulphate of potash and f cwt. bone meal. Such little 

 dung as is got goes on the lucerne or on the wheat. 

 Careful cultivation is necessary to preserve a fine 

 mulch, whereby the soil retains its moisture, and also 

 to keep down weeds which are apt to be a con- 

 siderable nuisance: even the freshly-broken ground 

 covered itself with sjxjar grass (couch), makebeg 

 (spurry) and sorrel, while later on iron weed (poly- 

 gonum), pansy, cranesbill and others came in. 



The great advantage of the system is that it can 

 be worked with but little capital and at a minimum 

 of risk. It is therefore well adapted for small holdings, 

 for which purpose, indeed, it was devised. The returns 

 have been very satisfactory : the sales have averaged 

 6 to 7 per acre, while a rent of 15s. per acre was 

 found to pay 5 per cent, on the cost of reclamation, 

 5 per cent on a sinking fund, and also the rates and 

 the rental imposed by the superior landlord. 



The occupier of a sandy soil has therefore several 

 possibilities open to him. If he can command capital 

 he can go in for live stock and work on the Townshend- 

 Coke system. If he prefers cultivation he can go in 

 for intensive market gardening. If he has little or 



82 



