Practical Agriculture. 
G25 = 359 
hds, which was one fundamental process of improvement half a 
r.iturv back, is now rarely repeated ; being principally reserved 
r the consolidation of peats and sands. 
Chalking is still a necessary improvement at long intervals on Chalking, 
liny lands either lying upon or within easy carting distance of 
t? chalk hills. Thus chalk is extensively used on the heavy 
sis in Kent, particularly upon the pastures. From 12 to 
; tons per acre are commonly applied ; no repetition is needed 
J- twenty years, and then only a light dressing. The chalk 
nulders down under the influence of frost and rain, and is soon 
vrked into the soil. On the Lincolnshire Wolds the light 
lity loams are durably improved by applications of 80 to 100 
( jic yards of chalk per acre. 
Claying the peaty soils of the Fen country is accomplished on Claying, 
t- shallow peats by very deep trench-ploughing; but on the 
( p black soils, by digging wide parallel trenches at intervals 
s eral feet in depth, and throwing out by spade some feet in 
t ckness of the blue buttery material (an alluvial deposit), which 
i ifterwards spread upon the whole surface of the field. 
Liming with heavy doses, once a fundamental feature of farm- Liming, 
r nagement over a considerable proportion of England, and im- 
ped upon tenants by binding restrictions in covenants and 
Lses, has given way before the introduction of artificial manures. 
I s chiefly on heavy clays and on newlv broken-up land that 
d ssings of 200 to 300 bushels per acre are now applied : and such 
s )ng treatment is not repeated for perhaps twenty years. On the 
L ited number of farms where it is still the custom to lime once 
ij!very rotation, the quantity is now more commonly 100 bushels, 
oibout 4 tons per acre. On light soils, small doses may be 
reated, to compensate for the gradual sinking of the lime into 
tl subsoil. Where lime is employed merely to give to the land a 
c stituent which is short in quantity, mild or old-slaked lime is 
e ployed. But, for the most part, the purpose is to promote the 
d omposition of vegetable matter and to sweeten the soil : and 
hice it is the more general practice to apply the lime in a 
c Stic state, that is, newly-slacked, sometimes, indeed, as hot 
a:ihe carts can contain it without injury. When on the fallow 
f( roots, and farmyard-manure is to be used for the same crop, 
tl lime is ploughed in and well incorporated with the ' soil 
fc some time before the manure is led on. 
:)f late years, the practice has extended of applying moderate 
dissings of lime to old pastures, the increase and improvement 
u herbage being very marked. There are, however, certain 
d criptions of land — as for example, on some of the oolite 
■ations — which receive no benefit from liming, but, on the 
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