SMALL HOLDINGS 109 



Rich land can easily be recognised by careful 

 examination with a spade. For example, a 

 hole is dug to a depth of two feet ; if the soil 

 is rich the top nine inches will be dark in 

 colour, and similar throughout; it will contain 

 too, a large proportion of organic matter, 

 much of which may be recognised by the eye 

 in the form of rootlets and other vegetable 

 substances resembling the decayed matter 

 which is found beneath the herbage growing 

 on pasture land. 



