SOIL. 



n\ode9 as are the moil effeftual in promoting the exit or 

 padage of the (lagnant water which they contain. Different 

 materials may then be applied with the intention of im- 

 proving their textures, and promoting the diflblution of the 

 undecaycd parts of the vegetable matters that are contained 

 m them. The firll may be accomplifhed by the application 

 of various gravelly fubftances, fand and coarfe earth ; and the 

 latter, elpecially where there is a large growth of coarfe 

 plants, by the ufe of lime in its caultic ilate ; but where 

 fuch plants do not fo much abound, alkahne fubftances, 

 chalk, calcareous marie, the flielly kinds of fea-fand, and 

 the carbonate of lime, may be more advantageoufly made 

 ufe of. And as fhell-marle, chalky fubftances, rich clays, 

 and hmeftone gravels, are frequently met with under deep 

 peat modes, they (hould be tried for by boring in various 

 parts. Paring and burning is alfo ufeful where the quan- 

 tity of vegetable matters on the furface is confiderable, and 

 of the coarfe kind ; but the method of applying good earthy 

 matter is to be preferred where it can be procured in an 

 eafy and cheap manner. And advantages may be gained in 

 promotmg the fertility of thefe foils by cropping with par- 

 ticular forts of vegetables, as fuch as have large branching 

 ftems, and cover the furface of the ground very much, fo as 

 to exclude the aftion of the air in a great meafure upon it. 



It is probable, too, that the hot limes, as they are called 

 by farmers, may be laid upon thefe foils in full proportions 

 with very great advantage in fome cafes ; and that where 

 lands of any kind have been hurt by the too great ufe and 

 abundance of them, peat will prove a good meant of re- 

 ttoring them. 



In thefe different ways very great improvements have 

 been made in peaty and mofly foils, efpecially where the 

 drains have been formed fufficiently near to each other, and 

 to proper depths for taking away the water in an efFeAual 

 manner. Great advantage has alfo been derived by laying 

 the furfaces of fuch lands over with any fort of heavy 

 earthy matters to the thicknefs of three or four inches, 

 fuch, for inftance, as the heavy forts of marie, the fcrapings 

 of roads, the heavy mud of rivers and ponds, &c. By 

 thefe means, where they are intended for grafs, a finer kind 

 of herbage is brought up, and where for the purpofes of 

 tillage, the furface is well confolidated, and rendered more 

 fuitable to the growth of crops of that fort. 



7. Boggy Soils. — Thefe are alfo foils that have much of 

 the nature ef the preceding, but which differ in fome 

 refpefts from them, being chiefly in low confined fituations, 

 and of lefs depth than the heavier moffy foils, and of more 

 than thofe of the lighter defcription of that fort of foil. 

 There are foils of this defcription frequently met with in Ire- 

 land, and occafionally in low meadows and near large ponds or 

 lakes in this country. Thefe foils are gradually formed by the 

 depofition and decay of the different vegetables that grow 

 in fuch fituations as thofe of the luxuriant aquatic kinds ; 

 and the ftagnation of much moiiture upon them, by which 

 the roots alfo become deftroyed and reduced to the ftate 

 of earth. They have of courfe different appearances or 

 colours, according to the ftate' of putrefaftion and decay to 

 which the different parts have advanced, and the nature of 

 the other earthy materials with which they are blended ; in 

 fome cafes being of a lightifh brown afpeA, as where the 

 fibrous and ligneous matters have only undergone a flight 

 change ; but where this has been carried to a confiderable 

 extent, they are of a dark colour, approaching to black, 

 or of a deep dulky hue. See Peaty and Mossy Land. 



As the great defefis in foils of this nature are chiefly 

 thofe of their being too much charged with moiiture, and of 

 too open and porous a texture, the means of bringing them 



into a proper condition are obvious. In deep boggy foila, 

 the bufinefs of draining (hould firft, when prafticable, be 

 reforted to, in order to draw off the exceffive moifture. 

 After which, various hard dry earths will be found of great 

 ufe in improving bogs, fuch as gravel, chalk, ftony matters, 

 fand, fhell-marle, &c. as thefe fubftances contribute to bind, 

 ameliorate, and warm the foil, while they prevent fprings 

 from oozing out and overflowing the furface. Where they 

 are over-run with rufhes and fimilar coarfe vegetables, quick- 

 lime may be beneficially applied, and paring and burning 

 may be employed, fometimes with advantage. And another 

 ufeful mode of reclaiming fuch foils is, by planting on them 

 thofe vegetables whofe Ipreading roots ferve to bind the 

 earth together, and at the fame time, in a great meafure, ex- 

 clude the aflion of the atmofphcre upon it. The practice 

 of flooding, alfo, where a command of water can be ob- 

 tained, has proved a cheap and efficacious mode of reclaim- 

 ing them in fome inftances. Some cafes, at leaft, have 

 occurred where fuch foils have been brought into a ftate 

 of cultivation for meadoius, with the happiell fuccefs, by it, 

 which had failed under contrary methods of riianagement. 



In mofl of thefe cafes, the firft means which are 

 neceffary, after well ditching and draining the foils or lands, 

 and levelling the imperfections and inequalities on their fur- 

 faces, is to apply earthy matters over them. For this 

 purpofe, the lumpy earthy parts, or elevations on them, are 

 to be pared off and intimately blended up with lime into 

 compolts, which, with other heavy materials of proper 

 earthy kinds, are to be placed and fprcad out on the land* 

 or foils in an even manner. And afterwards, when the 

 ground or foil becomes firm and folid, with much coarfe 

 plants and herbage rifing upon it, eating it conftantly clofe 

 down with light neat cattle and fheep, will be very bene- 

 ficial, efpecially where fuch foils or grounds are defigned 

 for paftures. When for tillage, there are various other 

 means which may be had recourfe to in different circum- 

 ftances, for rendering them more firm and dry, with great 

 fuccefs. See Swampy Land. 



The management of fuch foils, in all thefe different 

 methods, has been productive of great benefit in different 

 inftanccs, and the land, when improved, is commonly of the 

 moft valuable kind. See Bog, and SPRlXG-Z)ra;n/n^. 



8. Heathy or Mocry Soi/s. — Thefe form a clafs of foils 

 that occupy very extenfive trafts in different diftrifts of the 

 kingdom, and which have confiderable relation to thofe of 

 the peaty fort, though they differ in many particulars. In 

 the fouthern part of the country they are moftly known 

 under the titles of healhy or moory foils, but in Scotland 

 they liave the name of muir foils. 



It is remarked by Mr. Somerville, in the agricultural Sur- 

 vey ju ft noticed, that thefe foils, like thofe of the moffy kinds, 

 owe their origin evidently to the fame caufe, namely, the 

 decay of the plants that formerly occupied the furface. 

 This muir foil is of two kinds, one of which is black, foft, 

 and porous, and admits moifture in a greater degree than 

 any other foil ; it is at the fame time covered with ftone* of 

 a white colour ; evidently whinftone bleached with an acid : 

 the parts, when examined, exhibit the appearance commonly 

 met in turning over the afhes formed by the burning of vege- 

 tables, where the fkeletons of the plants and roots are feen 

 naked, faplefs, and deftitute of any of the ufeful properties 

 they once contained. It is difficult to form an opinion of 

 the caufe of thefe appearances, or to conceive how lands 

 that had once been covered with plants fo ftrong and nume- 

 rous as to form a thick fod, fhould become fo barren as to 

 be totally unfit for vegetation, as the greateft parts of thefe 

 muirs are. Were a judgment to be formed from appearances, 



fire 



