Burning of Clay Land. 
541 
his farm a foul one. Couch-grass is thus very effectually dealt 
with ; and the more of it there is, the better will be the ashes, and 
the more satisfactory in every way the result of the operation. 
I have nothing to add to what I before said as to the mode of 
proceeding, except that I prefer faggots to coal for land-burning, 
not only as being more economical, but because the soil is not 
burned so hard as is frequently the case where coal is used. In 
burning large heaps coal is essential ; but it is well to let the 
burner provide it himself. He will use less, which is not only 
a saving of cost, but of more importance still as preventing the 
soil from beins over-burned. He will make a ton of coal serve 
for 50 cubic yards ; whereas otherwise it is not unusual to con- 
sume double that quantity. 
After a field has been once moderately well burned, very little 
good appears to result firom repeating the work ; therefore my 
operations in this way are now almost entirely confined to burning 
large heaps, to be drawn into the yards and sheds wherein a 
large portion of the roots are consumed by sheep. They there 
absorb the urine, and are mixed with the dung made in the 
yards ; the portion under cover is mixed with artificial manure, 
and drilled with the root-crops. 
And this leads me to the consideration of a subject affected to 
a considerable extent by this burning question, viz., the additional 
capability of carrying a flock of sheep which clay-land acquires 
by the change of texture brought about by this process. I do not 
mean that clay-land can by this, or by any means, be made to 
produce food for sheep as beneficially or as certainly as that 
which is by nature turnip-land ; but its capabilities in this 
respect may be enlarged, which is a matter of some importance 
at a time when the price of wool and mutton is relatively much 
higher than that of wheat (the more natural product of strong 
land) is, or is likely to be, whilst importations pour in from 
every quarter. Not that I would displace any portion of the 
wheat-crop by the substitution of fodder-crops for sheep ; one- 
half of the arable portion of a clay-farm should always grow 
wheat. It is the mainstay of the occupiers of such soil ; and 
whatever may be the price, it must be grown ; and it is not only 
for the production of mutton and wool, but as a means of increas- 
ing the wheat-crop, that the increase of the sheep-stock becomes 
so important. 
Under any circumstances, whether recourse is had to burning 
or not, I hold that there is no preparation for a wheat-crop upon 
any land so unprofitable as a bare fallow ; and that if half of the 
arable portion of a clay-farm be, as I recommend, under wheat, 
the other half, with the exception of a portion manured for 
