64 FALLowirrc. 



managing" land. The prevailing opinion of writers how- 

 ever is in favour of the process. We think that many 

 of our countrymen, possessing low damp meadows, free 

 from stone, and abounding with moss, dwarf shrubby 

 plants, tough grasses, &c. may resort to burning the sur- 

 face with benefit, provided it be conducted with caution. 



The late Mr. iNicholson of New-York in his prize es- 

 say has thus briefly described the operation. 



When the ground is in a good sward of grass let it be 

 carefully turned over with the plough ; the irons of 

 which should be well sharpened. Let the plough run 

 about three inches deep. Then cross-plough wiih a 

 sharp coulter, and the sward will all be cut into squares 

 of ten or twelve inches. Set these square chunks up 

 edgvvays, by leaning two together, and they will soon 

 dry. When well dried, build a part of them up in the 

 form of little ovens, at the dist^mce of about eighteen 

 feet each way. These are to have a little opening or 

 door, at a common windward side, for the air to en- 

 ter and another opening above, for the smoke to 

 pass off. On some dry day, when the wind is fair 

 for blowing into the holes beiow, place some straw or 

 other dry rubbish into the hfles, and set fire to it. As 

 «oon as the fires have got fully going in each of the 

 heaps, let the holes in the tops be stopped up, for the 

 purpose of retaining the smoke and keep gradually buiid- 

 ing up the heaps as the fire penetrates them, until all 

 tl^e chunks of earth are piled up round them; and when 

 the heaps have fully burned, and sufficiently cooled, 

 they are to be evenly spread over the ground, and 

 ploughed in. 



We subjoin Mr. Cobbett's method of buriiijig earth. 



Make a cricle or an oblong square ; cut sods and 

 bui:d a wail all round three feet thick and tour feet 

 hi^h, then ligb.t a fire in the middle wiih straw, dry 

 sticks, &.C exieiiding it all over the bottom of the pit ; 

 keep addmg light iuei at first, then rubbish wood, till 

 there is* a good l;ed of coals. . Then put on the driest of 

 the ciods, taking care to keep the smoke m. Continue thus 

 for a day or tvvo, when you may dig out the earth any 

 where about the kiln and fling on. Put your finger in- 

 to the top of the heap here and there ; if you find the 

 fire very near, throw on more earth; not loo'much at a 



