Li()lit-Lancl Farming. 
or family likeness, is apparent. Thus there is a similarity of 
physical texture in the soils of the upper chalk and oolitic stone- 
brash of England, and those on the greenstone traps and lime- 
stone gravels of Scotland and Ireland. Tliey are all formed of 
a light-brownish earth, abundantly intermixed with small stones. 
In the chalk these stones are composed of pure silica or crystal- 
line sand ; in the oolite, of carbonate of lime, with a texture like 
the roe of a fish ; in the greenstone trap, of augite and Scotch 
pebbles ; and in the mountain limestone, of solid carbonate of 
lime. Wherever a soil exists, in which there are a great pro- 
portion of small loose surface stones, it will generally be found 
that there is a true yield of grain to the bulk of straw obtained, 
Avhich is also of very superior quality. When sheep are folded 
on turnips, the surface of the land is sometimes entirely covered 
"with small stones ; yet Avhatever may be the inconvenience ex- 
perienced in ploughing, it is never advisable to remove them, 
because these stones, especially on the greenstone trap, are slowly, 
although imperceptibly, decomposing by the action of air and 
moisture, and are thus adding continually to the fertility of tlie 
soil. 
Having tlms very cursorily enumerated the principal light 
soils of the United Kingdom, and glanced at a few of their per- 
vading and distinguishing characters, I shall now proceed to 
the consideration of the more practical details connected with 
their management and improvement. 
Cultivation of Light Land on the Flinty Chalks of England. — 
The common rotation on the thin flinty soils of the upper chalk 
may be learned from the fact, that in all covenants between land- 
lord and tenant there is a clause which stipulates that not more 
than two corn or grain crops shall be taken in succession. There 
is here no provision made for good farming, and it is not, there- 
fore, to be wondered at that so much of the thin chalk soils are 
so badly cultivated. Two white crops in succession may be 
tolerated on the rich clays of the lower chalk, but they are ruinous 
to all soils of an inferior nature wherever they may be situated. 
A very common rotation on flinty-chalk land is, two years' seeds, 
v/lieat, rye, and winter vetches ; wheat again, then barley or oats. 
This plan of farming is said to produce from 24 to 25 bushels of 
wheat, weighing 58 to 62 lbs, each. Another rotation is to 
pare and burn the surface of the land after being pasture for 
several years, then to sow wheat, followed by two or three crops 
of barley or oats, and then lay down to grass. In this case the 
clause in the agreements, referred to above, seems to have been 
entirely omitted or disregarded, and anything more ruinous to 
the interests of all concerned could scarcely be devised. A 
better rotation than either of the foregoing is practised in the 
