Burning of Soils, as a Means of improving them. 345 



This walk leads to a slip in which are several vineries and a 

 peach-house. In the vineries the successional system of training 

 is practised, and I understand they grow superior grapes. The 

 melon-ground, and the space for common fruits, are on the east 

 side of the kitchen-garden, where, also, it is intended to build a 

 brick wall for the cultivation of the Flemish pears. Some of the 

 trellising described and recommended by me in this Magazine 

 has lately been set up, but with iron cross pieces instead of wood. 

 Both Mr. Wood and Mr. Smith of Garnstone disapprove of 

 these trellises ; alleging that, as the fruit always hangs in the 

 shade beneath the trellis, it does not acquire its proper flavour. 

 Jan. 20. 1840. 



Art. III. Burning of Soils, as a Means of improving them. 

 By John Fish. 



Some soils are greatly improved by burning. In the North of 

 Scotland this has become quite a trade. A three-edged spade 

 is used, with a handle 9 ft. in length, and a cross head-piece 3 ft. 

 in breadth. This is used for pushing forward, principally by 

 the thighs. The turf is turned over 1 ft. in width, to the depth 

 of 2 or 3 inches. When the turfs are somewhat dried, they are 

 piled up in heaps, and burnt upon the ground. The richness 

 imparted will depend upon the quality and quantity of the ashes. 

 They should not be burnt too much, as it destroys their good- 

 ness. Those which calcine freely are considered best. Burning 

 in small heaps is preferable to large ones. As soon as the ashes 

 are cold, they should be spread equally over the ground (with 

 the exception of the places where the heaps stand), and ploughed 

 in immediately. Frequent ploughing and harrowing should be 

 given, until the necessary depth and texture are obtained for 

 the intended crop. What escapes the harrow should be well 

 broken with wooden mallets. 



As soon as the crop is cleared, the ground should be ploughed 

 again, and exposed to the atmosphere. Lands improved by these 

 means generally prove productive for a number of years. The 

 soils most benefited are strong clays, and those containing an 

 excess of inert vegetable matter. The carbonaceous matter con- 

 tained in the ashes is more beneficial to the crop than the 

 vegetable fibre from which it was produced, as the injurious acid 

 is destroyed by burning. In a situation I have lived in the soil 

 of the garden was a strong adhesive clay. A piece of this I had 

 thrown up in December, in ridges, to the depth of 2^ ft., laying 

 it a little hollow to form a cavity underneath each ridge, and in 

 this there was no difficulty, as the pieces might be built with like 

 stones. In this cavity some cinders and small coals were placed, 

 and fire set to them in March. This was spread out as soon as 



