150 A PRACTICAL TREATISE 



state, it will produce lumps, which will not be easily broken, 

 even by a mallet. 



The best time for beginning the operation is when the 

 weather sets in fair, in sprinir; but the land should also be well 

 cleaned, and brought into lino tiltli, in order to allow of the 

 soil being- intimately blended with the ashes. When laid 

 upon arable land, they should therefore be brought, as nearly 

 as possible, into a state of powder, if intended for corn ; but 

 when applied to green crops, they may be used somewhat 

 coarser. 



Regarding the species of earth to be burned — strong clay 

 is the best tor the purpose, for its adhesive properties being 

 destroyed by the process, it will become good manure for land 

 of the same sort, and will be found advantageous to ground of 

 almost any description; but when light soils are burned, (a 

 practice, however, which we have shown to be in general dis- 

 advantageous,) the ashes are not calculated to apply to similar 

 land, but should be laid upon strong clays or tenacious loam. 



The quantity of Ashes to be applied to the land rnay be 

 varied according to its quality. Viewing its effect as chiefly 

 mechanical, the more adhesive the soil, the greater will be 

 the amount required: for, as strong clays are apt to run to- 

 gether after heavy rains, and to retain the water upon the 

 surface instead of allowing it to penetrate to the pan below, 

 the larger the quantity of matter which may have the effect 

 of rendering them {)orous, the better; and its application to 

 such ground hardly admits of any limit. In no case will it be 

 found prejudicial; and, from what may be gathered from the 

 foregoing experiments, as well as from the information of other 

 practical men, we think that it should never be laid on any 

 land in a less quantity than 800 bushels per acre. 



CHAPTER X. 



MINERAL MANURES CONTINUED. SALT NITRE. 



Salt of various qualities is produced in several countries, 

 and known according to the different sources from which it is 

 obtained — whether from the waters of the sea, from salt- 



