Transjmition and Admixture of Soils. 



71 



The balance of 21. ]s. 6d. in favour of marling upon seeds 

 does not show that there is any advantage in it over that of 

 making a naked fallow for that purpose, as more than that ought 

 to be deducted for the cultivation of the turnip crop, which would 

 not occur in a naked fallow. But when a naked fallow is made 

 for the purpose of marling the land, then two wheat crops occur 

 in four years, which, notwithstanding it here makes the produce 

 run much higher in the four years than it otherwise would do, 

 could not be long practised with any advantage whatever to the 

 farjner. 



The balance of lOl. 9s. 6d. in favour of marling needs no 

 comment. 



But in stating these results, I must refer to the comparative 

 merits of the two different kinds of clay used, not by any chemical 

 definition, but from actual experience. The clay, whether laid 

 upon seeds or fallow, was shot out in loads as already stated^ then 

 spread as equally as possible ; but, on account of the large size of 

 the pieces of clay, the land could neither be ploughed nor har- 

 rowed until it had been first dried, had then become wet, or 

 frozen, and had afterwards thawed. After this it was harrowed. 

 The best or dark- coloured clay will fall long before the top or 

 yellow sort, which is not so easily pulverised. The first named 

 is very productive of itself, but the other requires some stimulant 

 to produce a crop. 



If laid upon seeds the land was only ploughed once in October, 

 and drilled in the same month with wheat. When upon fallow it 

 was ploughed two or three times, and well mixed up with the 

 sand, and also sown with wheat. In this way a good crop was 

 realised without any other manures, but wherever fold yard 

 manure was applied, the crop was very abundant. 



On parts of the farm turnips were frequently destroyed by 

 grubs before the land was clayed over, but in no instance have 

 they since, neither have they been destroyed by any other insect, 

 except in 1836, when a few black caterpillars were upon them. 

 A moiety of the Swedes are drawn off, but the whole of the white 

 turnips are eaten upon the land with sheep. I find no manures 

 to surpass that from the fold-yard. I tried, by way of experiment, 

 rape- dust, bones, and fold-yard manure. The turnips sown with 

 bones and fold -yard manure were equally good, but those with 

 rape-dust were decidedly the worst. 



The land is never so productive the first two years, or until the 

 clay has got well pulverised and mixed with the sand, as it is 

 afterwards, and will not grow a good crop or a fine sample of 

 barley for five or six years after the clay is laid on; I have 

 therefore sown oats instead. 



It is thought by some people that the clav will waste away. 



