120 THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF 



the texture of heavy soil by reducing its 

 tenacity, improving its working capacity, 

 and, in consequence, its power to retain 

 moisture. Dung also exerts a marked in- 

 fluence upon light soils, but in this case 

 short dung is superior to dung which is rich 

 in straw. Thus, pig or cow manure assists 

 in making a lighter soil more compact, 

 substantial, and homogeneous. Light soils, 

 like the heavy clays, contain comparatively 

 small quantities of organic matter, for which 

 reason they should be well supplied with short 

 manure. Green crops, too, may be grown 

 upon them and ploughed in, until, in course 

 of time, the per cent, of organic matter is 

 materially increased; when they become more 

 substantial, and contain larger quantities of 

 plant food. 



In Germany, a famous agricultural reformer, 

 who had received a scientific training in 

 agriculture, purchased 600 acres of sandy land 

 which was described as desert, at a cost of 12s. 

 per acre. Its poverty in plant food was 

 such that for the purposes of taxation its crop 

 valuation was fixed at 9|d. to 14|d. per acre. 

 By the application of marl and artificial 

 manure green crops were grown and ploughed 

 in for a series of years. This enrichment with 



