THE COMPOSITION OF FERTILE AND BARREN SOILS. 55 



a restoration of this kind and in leases it is common to require 

 the tenant to return to the land a certain quantity of a certain 

 manure periodically but these rules are not always wise. If I 

 had to deal with my own land, I would let it to an intelligent 

 farmer, and tell him to farm in the best way he could, for I am 

 convinced that what would be for his profit would also be for 

 mine. It is a short-sighted policy on the part of landlords that 

 leads them to think the tenants would get too much out of the 

 land, for they bind men down to established rules which prevent 

 agricultural improvement. The theory no doubt is give back 

 to the land what you take from it ; but in cultivating rich loamy 

 soils, or such clays as are found in the neighbourhood of Torquay, 

 where the soil is formed from the decomposition of trap-rock, 

 what is the use of putting back a little lime or phosphoric acid 

 when you have in the soil itself inexhaustible stores? If you 

 have a good balance in the agricultural bank, never mind using 

 it abundantly employ capital in making it useful by working 

 the soil, and by the judicious purchase of artificial manures con- 

 taining those constituents that are not abundant in the soil. Clay 

 soils admitting of this treatment are, therefore, very fertile, be- 

 cause they contain most of the chemical substances that enter 

 into the composition of plants ; and the question is, how can they 

 best be got at ? 



How to make Minerals in the Soil available. 



With respect to many soils, it becomes a delicate question to 

 decide whether their elements are best rendered educible by 

 means of improved agricultural implements and machinery, or 

 by the introduction of some artificial manure, such as ammonia, 

 nitrate of soda ; for I would not trouble to put any mineral back 

 in a rich clay soil. Theoretically, by this means the land would 

 grow poorer in mineral constituents ; but, practically, having an 

 immense store of mineral food, and every year taking out but 

 very little, you will never exhaust it not at least for centuries ; 

 and your sole question is, how can you get at it ? Is the best 

 means the use of improved agricultural implements, admitting 

 air to every part of the soil, and facilitating chemical decomposi- 

 tion of the rock substance, or the introduction of ammoniacal 

 matters, which render certain constituents soluble and available 

 for the use of the plant ? It is a delicate question to decide, and 

 it can only be decided by the accumulated experience of the 

 farmer and the chemist. Here, let me say, we could decide on 

 many important points if we only had the cordial co-operation 

 of practical farmers. We have a heap of matters to work upon, 

 and we cannot arrive at results in them because they have to be 

 brought to the test of experience. There are many things and 



