ON MANURES. I33 



formed in the earth, called 'pitting,' which become retentive 

 of wet and injure cultivation; great care should therefore be 

 taken, to guard against such accidents, by which much injury 

 has been in many places done to the soil. 



When the turf is dry enough to burn, it is often placed in 

 large heaps, amounting from four to twenty cart-loads each, or 

 even more, carried up with an opening, like a chimney, in the 

 middle, and fired by means of faggots of furze, or any other 

 fuel that happens to be most convenient. More or less firing 

 is required in proportion to the kindliness of the soil for burn- 

 ing, of which an experienced workman can easily judge: some 

 sorts are easily fired by a few red-hot ashes being thrown upon 

 the heap and instantly covered with a piece of turf; \\hile 

 others require a faggot or two of wood, and no small degree 

 of discretion in disposing it properly. The best method of 

 placing the turf is to lay it as close as possible, in order to 

 keep out any draught of air through the heap, as otherwise 

 the force of the fire is apt to escape outwardly, and a partial 

 burning only effected. The fire should also be applied to the 

 sheltered side of the heaps ; but if the sods lie close, and the 

 fire is kept in by stopping any places where it breaks through, 

 and covering the whole with fine mould and ashes, after the 

 fire is thoroughly alight, it never fails to burn well : even if 

 heavy showers fall, the great mass of burning matter will 

 convert almost any quantity of rain into vapour. 



Such is the Kentish practice; and this smothering process 

 is recommended by most of the'writers on manure, because 

 the vegetable matter of which these ashes are chiefly formed 

 is supposed to be thereby converted into a carbonaceous sub- 

 stance of a more fertilizing nature than when burned by a 

 quick fire. In the East Riding of Yorkshire, where paring 

 and burning has been very extensively and successfully prac- 

 tised, it is usual to pare the sods as thin as possible, and, so 

 soon as they are moderately dry, to collect thern partially into 

 heaps, four or five yards distant from each other, terming them 

 into a half-cone. In this state fire is applied to each heap, but 

 it is prevented from breaking out into a flame by smothering 

 it up with the remainder of the sods. As much burning is 

 considered to be very injurious to the success of the operation, 

 the best cultivators open out these heaps, when half burned, 

 with a shovel, and spread ^\'hat is then converted into ashes 

 equally over the land. The heaps well on fire, fresh sods ar ) 

 'aid from time to time, until the whole are expended ; the 



