304- SOILS AND SOIL-PROCESSES. 2c. 



I. SoDBURNiNG. The pradice which has 

 gauicd the greateft ellimation is that of 

 SODBLTRNING — provinciallv, " paring and 

 burning:" — a practice which is little known 

 in many parts of the ifland ; but which ought 

 to be well underftood by every hufbandman 

 in it, 



I. Piiring. The buflies and other incum- 

 brances of the furface being removed, the 

 fward is inverted with the breaft-plow, — - 

 provinciaily, " paring fpade," — In fods about 

 a foot wide and three feet long. 



T\\^ jiidg-iient requiiite in this (lage of the 

 procefs lies chiefly in determining the proper 

 THICKNESS of the fods. If they be pared too 

 thick, they are difficult to burn ; if too thin, 

 the fward is not effeftually dellroyed, and 

 the produce of aihcs is too fmall. A rough 

 fpungy furface ought to be pared thicker 

 than one which is firm and bare of grafs ; 

 and a light fhallow foil ought to be pared 

 thinner than one which is deeper and more 

 tenacious. An inch may be confidercd as 

 the medium thicknels. 



The attention required in this part of th.e 

 bufmcfs is principally to fee that men, who 

 work by the acre, break off the fods at proper 



Ungths, 



