On the Improvement of Cold and Heavy Soils. 
113 
5 years since the cabbages were introduced. These figures are 
in the tabular statement jou did me the honour to print p. 23 
of vol. iv. 
Believe me ever yours truly, 
Lovelace. 
Ockham Park, March 5, 1844. 
VII. — On the Improvement of Cold and Heavy Soils by the Ap- 
plication of Burnt Clay. By Charles Randell. 
To Edward Holland, Esq. 
My oear Sir, — I cannot answer the inquiries contained in your 
letter, and that of Sir Robert Throckmorton accompanying it, as 
to my experience of burnt clay, in any way that will be satisfac- 
tory to you without going somewhat into detail, and at the same 
time recalling to your mind the state of cultivation of my farm 
when I entered upon it, at Michaelmas, 1839. You will believe 
that it is not from any disposition to speak harshly of the tenants 
who preceded me upon this farm (formerly in two), but because 
the extent to which it has been benefited by burning would not 
be appreciated, if it were not understood that the farm at the 
time I mention was in an exceedingly bad state. Without further 
preface, then, I will proceed to describe what has been done in 
this way upon a few of the fields ; regretting that I cannot in all 
cases speak with accuracy as to the results, not ^having expected 
that I should be called upon for them. In one or two cases, how- 
ever, I can do so. 
In speaking of what the several fields were worth, I give the 
price at which they were valued when the estate was purchased 
for your father, about twenty years since. The valuation upon 
which my rent was fixed — at least as far as regards the clay-land 
to which these remarks apply — is very nearly the same. 
I will begin with the field upon which my first attempt was 
made, not only for that reason, but because it is the worst piece 
of land ; indeed, I hardly need say it is as bad as possible, for the 
rent is but 5s. per acre. It is called the " Coal-pit Ground :" 1 1 J 
acres of the worst description of clay, on the side of a steep hill, 
wholly inaccessible to the dung-cart, to which it has always been 
a stranger. It had been allowed to run down a few years before 
I entered upon it ; and the former tenant being bound by the 
covenants ot his lease to have a certain portion the last year in 
fallow (for which I, as the incoming tenant, had to pay 40*. per 
acre), had broken up this field for that purpose. After he 
had ploughed it once, I offered in the middle of the summer to 
take to it on the same terms as if a fallow had been made, in 
order that I might at once begin burning it. This was agreed 
vol. v. I 
