170 A TREATISE ON THE CONNECTION OF 



SANDY SOIL. 



There is no soil so naturally barren or unfruitful, 

 but that it may be ameliorated by the industry of man. 

 The very extensive improvements made on the barren 

 sands of Norfolk, prove the truth of this assertion ; the 

 present advanced state of these lands has been owing to 



the consolidating of the surface by a due proportion of 

 clay, or of a marly clay, which generally is to be found 

 at no great distance from the surface. On this practice 

 (as it were) of making a soil, it is necessary to state, that 

 much less expence is incurred, and more benefit re- 

 ceived, by adding clay to a sandy soil, than adding sand 

 to a clayey soil. It would require, perhaps, from six to ten 

 times the quantity of sand to diminish the adhesion of 

 the latter, than it would require of clay to consolidate 

 the former. The great difference, in point of expence, 

 must be obvious. Sand added to a clayey soil, in a less 

 proportion than would produce the effcdt required, 

 would be materially injurious to the staple ; because sand, 

 when thus applied, never fails, at certain seasons, to ren- 

 der the clayey soil more untra(5table and unmanageable ; 



for 



