On Burninf/ Clay. 
299 
The size of a heap is limited by the height to which a man can 
throw up the soil, and of course the diameter must be propor- 
tioned to the height, to prevent its slipping down. It is generally 
lighted so as to burn out by Saturday, and not require Sunday 
attendance. 
This mode of burning may be essentially called summer burn- 
ing, because we find practically that heavy rains put out the fires, 
or check their progress. Where fuel is abundant, or coal cheap, 
I have reason to believe fires may be kept up through the winter. 
I have this autumn ploughed up or rather broken up and 
burned 4 acres of a poor rye-grass lea. This has produced 1600 
cubic yards, 1000 of which I have carted on to the neighbouring 
fields, leaving 150 yards per acre on the field itself as a com- 
pensation. The cost per 100 cubic yards is as follows : — 
Labour and burning at 5rf. . . . £2 3 4 
Fire-wood at 4^. 6c?. per fathom . .084 
Ploughing and horse-labour . . .084 
Carting and spreading according to distance. 
When spread, as there rre many large lumps, we roll the field 
with Crosskill's clod-crusher in a dry time. This pulverizes the 
burned earth, and we then bush-harrow to distribute it equally. 
Our young clover so treated promises well. 
As the portion of ground on which the fire is made is generally 
burned 6 inches below the surface, it is proper to dig it out and 
spread it around, otherwise so rank will be the corn-crop there, 
that in spite of two or three flaggings, it is almost sure to go down 
and spoil. I find burned earth exceedingly useful for clamping 
potatoes, swedes, mangold, &c. ; but it is essential to allow roots 
to remain in a heap covered with straw three or four weeks pre- 
vious to doing this, or they are apt to heat and rot, especially early 
raised potatoes. The reasons why earth burned must be bene- 
ficial are sufficiently explained by Drs. Liebig and Playfair. 
Of its cheapness as a manure there can be no question, for 
whilst it only costs Id. a cubic yard on the spot, the mere cartage 
of London dung from our nearest port would be 2s. per cubic 
yard, nearly 4 times the cost of the earth itself. 
It is much to be wished that tenants had permission to put 
down all old pollard-trees, burning them on the spot with earth 
close at hand. Such pollards when carted home seldom clear 
\r. each, after deducting expenses, whilst it is to be feared they 
damage the growing crops annually to that extent at least. 
Yours truly, 
TiptreeHall, Oct. IQth, 1846. J. J. Mechi. 
I should say that at bd. per yard my men average (including occa- 
sional night-work) about \bs. or 16s. per week in dry weather. 
VOL. VII. Y 
