12 THE CULINARY GARDEN, 



often found to be intimately mixed, or rather conso- 

 lidated with the soil, in considerable masses, which 

 are adhesive and very ponderous*. Such soils are 

 the most unfavourable to vegetation of any; and are 

 quite ineligible for the purpose here in view, with- 

 out being much improved. For this] purpose, lime 

 will be found the most serviceable of all things, if 

 judiciously applied, and the soil be frequently turn- 

 ed over by digging or trenching ; so as that the soil 

 and the lime may be intimately mixed together, and 

 that the atmosphere may have full effect upon them ; 

 for without this, the lime will not operate so effec- 

 tually, nor will the tilly particles of the soil be di-* 

 vided or be meliorated so well, 



It may seem unnecessary to observe, that accord- 

 ing to the quantity of irony matter contained in the 

 soil, lime will be required to reduce it. In order 

 to ascertain this quantity, a magnet will be found 

 useful ; and, by one of the masses being calcined, 

 and then reduced to a powder, will separate the 

 irony particles from the soil or residuum ; showing 

 the proportion of iron, and of earth. Thus we may 

 judge what quantity of lime will be required to 

 fertilize the soil ; taking for the extremes in ordi- 

 nary cases, and supposing the lime of a middling 

 quality, 130 and 40O Winchester bushels an acre; 

 applying the lime in a quick or powdered state, and 

 properly working the soil ; being careful, in the 

 first place, to drain it of superabundant moisture. 



* The Meadow Iron-ore of mineralogists, 



