158 
Farming  of  Gloucestershire. 
once  in  seven  or  eight  years  must  reduce  the  staple  of  the  soil  and 
render  it  lighter  ; by  burning  you  drive  off  a large  quantity  of 
other  substances  that  would  by  decomposition  be  converted  into 
manure,  and  thereby  deprive  yourselves  of  enriching  the  soil  by 
rotting  the  turf. 
These  arguments  will  appear  satisfactory  to  such  as  have  not 
seen  its  results.  Against  the  first  objection  it  may  be  stated  that 
very  little  of  the  soil  is  burnt ; but  the  roots  of  sainfoin,  grass,  and 
weeds  are  converted  into  ashes,  and  the  surface-couch  grass,  which 
so  much  infests  this  district,  is  pared  off  and  burnt  with  the  sward, 
and  is  thus  very  easily  got  rid  of,  and  not  buried  by  the  plough, 
and  a summer’s  law  given  it  to  spread  and  flourish  among  a scanty 
crop  of  oats.  I have  some  doubt  also  as  to  the  large  quantity  of 
matter  driven  off  by  burning.  That  which  is  driven  off  is  prin- 
cipally carbonic  acid,  and  is  not  so  great  as  has  been  represented. 
But  admitting  that  we  suffer  a loss  in  this  way,  how  much  do  we 
gain  by  raising  an  excellent  crop  of  turnips  or  swedes  by  the  ashes 
we  obtain  by  burning  and  a few  bones,  without  trespassing  on  the 
fold-yard  ! and  how  much  do  we  gain  by  having  acres  of  broad 
leaves  stretched  out,  absorbing  the  carbonic  acid  from  the  atmos- 
phere, which  is  appropriated  by  the  bulb,  and  which,  after 
passing  through  the  stomachs  of  sheep,  becomes  deposited  on  the 
land  ! To  breast-plough  and  burn,  to  obtain  ashes  to  produce 
turnips,  is  not  a much  more  unreasonable  speculation  than  the 
sowing  wheat  with  the  expectation  of  reaping ; and  yet  this 
practice  is  denominated  a barbarism.  By  burning  we  perhaps 
may  dissipate  hundreds,  but  it  is  to  reproduce  thousands.  The 
turnips,  with  their  accumulated  gatherings,  should  be  consumed 
on  the  land,  and  white  straw  crops  should  never  immediately 
follow  breast-ploughing  and  burning.  This  is  what  is  practised 
on  the  Cotsw’olds,  and  should  be  enforced  where  breast-ploughing 
and  burning  is  practised.  (See  Calculation , next  page.) 
Having  expressed  my  views  on  this  subject,  1 shall  be  excused 
for  mentioning  a lew  facts.  I know  hundreds  of  farmers  who 
have  practised  breast-ploughing  and  burning,  but  not  one  who 
discontinued  it  unless  compelled.  I know  some  landowners  have 
objected  to  it  as  injurious,  but  not  of  a single  positive  injury 
sustained,  or  of  any  loss  in  letting  a farm  on  which  burning  has 
been  practised.  On  the  contrary,  many  farmers  have  told  me  that 
burning  lias  increased  the  produce,  and  I have  a proof  of  rents 
having  increased.  I have  burnt  a clayey  soil,  somewhat  sandy, 
where  it  did  not  do  the  good  I expected,  but  1 could  see  no 
injury  it  did  to  the  soil.  I have  burnt  land,  the  whole  of  it 
which  is  free  from  the  sand,  two  or  three  inches  deep,  and  have 
found  great  benefit  arise  in  the  succeeding  crops.  I know  one 
farmer  who  removed  all  the  soil  down  to  the  gravel,  and  after- 
