Ashes of Burnt Clay as Manure. 57 



The merits of Dr. Richardson, as an agri- 

 culturist, are not confined to his introduction 

 of florin : Mr. Boyd has found him a powerful 

 ally. I hope to become equally his debtor on 

 my own farm. At his suggestion, recourse has 

 been had here to the burning of clay, as prac- 

 tised in Ireland, in the vicinity of bogs, where 

 fuel is accessible ; this resource is cheap and 

 inexhaustible. From the ashes so produced 

 excellent turnips are procured ; and the power 

 of cropping extended beyond what could other- 

 wise have been practicable. The discoverers of 

 the new world could scarcely have felt more 

 delight at the sight of land than I did at the 

 effects produced by this valuable operation. I 

 decided at once on its introduction on my own 

 farm ; and understanding that Mr. Boyd had 

 no further occasion for his principal operator, 

 I engaged him, anticipating not only the im- 

 portant changes which it will enable me to make 

 at home, but the improvement of thousands of 

 acres lying barren and unproductive in our 

 neighbourhood, from the inability of procuring 

 lime, or other fertilizing substitutes. 



Were the views of my Irish tour exclusively 

 directed to an investigation of this practice, I 

 should think my time profitably employed, with 

 3 



