764 
On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
Security  for  the  outlay  of  capital  is  essential  to  profitable  farm- 
ing in  the  present  clay.  It  may  not  be  proper  to  discuss  here  the 
means  by  which  this  security  may  best  be  given.  Let  it  only  be 
remembered  that  no  man  can  now  farm  well  unless  he  can  look 
with  confidence  beyond  next  Michaelmas.  Among  good  farmers 
a feeling  is  now  universal,  which  cannot  be  better  expressed  than 
in  the  following  words  of  a tenant,  who  is  himself  very  comfort- 
ably situated : — “ What  we  want  is  any  arrangement  which  will 
enable  us  to  farm  in  such  a manner  that  we  can  give  up  an 
estate  in  good  condition  without  injustice  to  ourselves  or  our 
families.” 
If  I do  not  close  this  Report  with  a formal  acknowledgment  of 
the  sources  from  which  I have  derived  my  information,  it  is  be- 
cause the  extent  of  my  obligation  to  others  will  be  transparent  to 
all  who  are  practically  acquainted  with  the  subject.  I am  deeply 
grateful  for  the  kindness  and  assistance  which  I received  from 
many  to  whom  I applied  as  a stranger  ; and  I only  do  not  name 
those  friends  to  whom  I am  especially  indebted  for  their  revision 
of  what  I have  written,  lest  I should  seem  to  make  them  respon- 
sible for  my  inferences. 
XXXIV. — Miscellaneous  Results  from  the  Laboratory/.  By  J. 
Thomas  Way,  Consulting  Chemist  to  the  Society. 
(The  Members  of  the  Society  are  informed  that  no  analysis  made  for 
them  by  the  chemist  of  the  Society  will  be  published  in  the  Journal 
unless  their  sanction  to  make  such  use  of  the  results  has  previously 
been  obtained.) 
Refuse  Manures. — In  a former  paper  * I published  the  analysis 
of  some  substances  which,  as  the  refuse  or  waste  of  manufacturing 
processes,  are  occasionally  employed  with  great  advantage  as 
manure.  Of  course  the  supply  of  this  kind  of  manure  is  limited, 
and  it  is  only  available  in  particular  localities,  and  under  certain 
circumstances. 
As  the  value  also  of  refuse  substances  becomes  better  known 
to  the  farmer,  and  the  demand  increases,  they  will  obviously 
attain  a price  which  will  render  their  purchase  less  desirable. 
Still,  however,  no  source  of  increased  fertility,  however  small,  is 
to  be  neglected,  and  a knowledge  of  the  composition,  and  through 
it  of  the  manurial  value  of  the  different  kind  of  waste  products, 
will  not  be  without  a direct  benefit. 
In  recording  the  analysis  of  woollen  waste  in  the  paper  be- 
fore mentioned,  the  attention  of  the  reader  was  called  to  the  great 
difference  existing  between  the  composition  of  pure  wool  and  the 
v * Journal  of  the  Koyal  Agricultural  Society,  vol.  x.,part  ii.,  page  615. 
