JOURNAL 
OF THE 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY 
OF ENGLA^^D. 
I. — On the Valuation of Unexhausted Manures. By J. B. Lawes, 
F.R.S., F.C.S. 
On April 4, 1870, I read a Paper before the London Farmers' 
Club, on the " Exhaustion of the Soil, in relation to Landlord's 
Covenants, and the Valuation of Unexhausted Improvements." 
The object of the first part of that Paper was to point out and 
illustrate the difference between those properties of the soil 
which are known under the term of " condition" and those which 
are included under the term natural, or standard fertility. 
I defined condition of land to be due to the accumulation 
within the soil of manurial matters which may be withdrawn, 
or reduced, by cropping, within a comparatively short period of 
time. Condition was stated to be a quality dependent on the 
expenditure of the tenant ; and, subject to the terms of his 
holding, may be considered to be his property. 
The natural or standard fertility of a soil, on the other hand, 
was the property of the landlord ; upon it depended, in a great 
measure, the amount of rent he was able to obtain for his land ; 
and although this natural fertility was not absolutely inex- 
haustible, it was very little liable to injury from any system of 
agriculture which, so far as present appearances enable us to 
judge, had any prospect of prevailing in this country. 
The second part of the Paper related to the question of the 
valuation of unexhausted manures ; and, taking into considera- 
tion the great difficulty in laying down rules which would be 
generally applicable for the estimation of the productive capa- 
bility, and consequently of the money-value, of the residue of 
the manures which have already yielded a crop, I suggested 
whether it would not be possible to confine the valuation to 
what was above ground, and had a recognised money-value, 
and, in so doing, to do full justice to the outgoing tenant. 
VOL. XI.— S. S. B 
