Ill SITUATION AND SOIL 43 



of results, and the obvious test of value is the rent 

 or price demanded and paid. 



But clay land has very much deteriorated in value 

 for agricultural purposes of late years, more than any 

 other, and it is not now considered, as it used to be, 

 the best of all soils for Eose-grovying ; and it must 

 be remembered that even the best of it is very diffi- 

 cult and troublesome to work : it cannot be meddled 

 with at all in wet weather, and unless the surface is 

 dry harm may be done by even treading on it. 

 Planting in such a case is a serious trouble to the 

 conscientious Eosarian, who is told to apply the 

 most powdery soil to the roots of his Eoses and to 

 see that it all settles evenly and closely between the 

 layers of fibres, if he has nothing at hand but huge 

 sticky unbreakable clods. The precious cultivation 

 of the hoe, keeping the surface powdery and pre- 

 venting evaporation by cracks in dry weather, is a 

 serious and difficult task. Even if the land is well 

 drained to start with, which is absolutely necessary, 

 the lower drainage of the pipes 'may become choked 

 by age or neglect of attendance to the outfalls, &c., 

 and the upper drainage of the cultivated soil is sure 

 to be injured if the ground be trampled on or 

 meddled with in a thaw or at any time when the 

 soil is wet. 



If such land should be the portion of the Eosarian, 

 every effort should be made to lighten it, and to 

 keep its particles as separate as possible, and 

 prevent their being squeezed together in a muddle 

 of putty. The agriculturist seeks the aid of frost for 

 the disintegration of clay : if the soil be thrown up 

 roughly and as much as possible exposed to the air, 

 it will found on the first dry time after a thaw in 



