On Paring and Burning. 9 



true that all soils stand in need of a good absorber of moisture 

 and ammonia? Are there not some which seldom get even suffi- 

 ciently dry, and for this reason are considered wet and cold soils? 

 Are there not soils which contain constituents capable, like organic 

 matter, of absorbing moisture and ammonia from the atmosphere 

 and of retaining it? Again, are there not plants which find 

 abundance of organic food in the atmosphere, and for this reason 

 are not dependent for food on the organic matter in the soil ? It is 

 evident that, if these questions can be answered in the affirmative, 

 the most serious objections against paring and burning fall to 

 the ground. If, moreover, it can be shown that by the destruc- 

 tion of useful matters we can realize a greater practical advantage 

 than by any other known means, no cause will remain for lament- 

 ing their dissipation by fire. In this case their loss is equivalent 

 to money well spent in other farming operations. The examina- 

 tion of many soils, upon which paring and burning is practised 

 with manifest good results, has shown that they contain a large 

 proportion of clay ; and as clay possesses in a high degree the 

 power of absorbing moisture and ammonia, it matters little if the 

 organic matters in soils containing much clay are burnt away, 

 for they still retain their power of absorbing atmospheric food 

 for plants. In sandy soils, or light land deficient in clay, it 

 would be decidedly wrong to pare and burn, but in heavy land, 

 and all soils containing a fair proportion of clay, the organic 

 matter may be destroyed without injuring the land, especially if 

 it can be shown, as I hope to be able to show presently, that 

 its destruction is attended with decided advantages. 



2ndly. The second objection against paring and burning, 

 namely, that it will produce a few good crops and then leave the 

 land in such an exhausted condition, that the cost of bringing it 

 again into a profitable state of cultivation will be greater than the 

 temporary benefits derived from paring and burning, rests on 

 the assumption that the soil furnishes all the food for the crops 

 which are raised upon it, and that none of the matters taken 

 from the soil are returned to it. This objection would indeed 

 have some force if it were usual to pare and burn for corn crops, 

 and to sell off the farm corn and straw. However, commonly 

 land is pared and burned in preparation for turnips ; the roots 

 are then consumed on the land by sheep, and by this means the 

 mineral matters taken up from the soil by the turnip crop are 

 restored to it almost completely in the sheep's excrements. It is 

 well known that turnips derive the bulk of their solid matter from 

 atmospheric food. In passing through the body of sheep a con- 

 siderable proportion of the organic part of turnips derived from 

 the atmosphere is in the shape of excrements imparted to the 

 soil. This added to the numerous fibres and decaying leaves 

 enriches the land sufficiently in organic remains to meet the 

 requirements of the subsequent corn-crop. No fear therefore 



