38 



plant are sown, the less compact and lighter in weight does 

 that soil become, and at length there is produced an incapacity 

 of thd clovers growing upon them to resist the frost ; yet in 

 time, by the decomposition of these roots, and the cultivation 

 of bulbous rooted crops, and the treading of the soil by sheep 

 in eating them ojBf as is usually practised, reconsolidation of 

 the soil takes place, and the same land is thus enabled again 

 to sustain clover against the severity of the frost. 



2. It explains why, in some fields from which the whole 

 crop has nearly disappeared, the headlands where the horses 

 turn round in ploughing, usually preserve the crop untouched 

 by the frost. This is particularly observed on the Wolds. 



3. It explains why, on the strong tenacious clay lands 

 around Hemsworth, red clover, after teasels, invariably failsj 

 while upon the Magnesian Limestone, particularly around 

 Kirk Smeaton, red clover, after teasels, succeeds better than 

 after any other crop ; — because in the one case the continual 

 treading of the teasel spitalers and reapers makes the strong 

 land too tenacious ; while the same on the light and porous 

 limestone, affords the consistency required to preserve the 

 crop over the winter. ■ n fit {jit 



4. It explains why in Scotland the best remedy for clover 

 sickness yet discovered is to allow sheep-seeds (consisting of 

 white clover, cow grass, rye grass, &c.) to remain down three 

 to six years if possible, without being ploughed up; because 

 by the continual treading of sheep, these lands are rendered 

 firm and compact, and the red clfver grows in spite of the 

 excretions or exhaustions of three to six years' duration. 



5. It explains why certain portions of the Magnesian Lime- 

 stone will produce red clover every fourth year, other portions 

 only every eighth, others every twelfth, while other portions, 

 as at Barnsdale, on the south side of Darrington, &c., will 

 not, with the heaviest manuring, produce this crop at all, so as 

 to stand the winter because the compactness of the lime- 



