222 
[Assembly 
his natural circumstances are equally favorable. Remarks of a similar 
nature may be made in relation to manures. One succeeds admirably 
in the use of marl, while another after a little trial, wholly discards it 
as useless, if not hurtful. This difference of opinion and practice, which 
is often the result of experiment, is owing to several obvious causes, 
such as the different modes adopted for securing the end proposed, and 
which arises from an imperfect or vague notion of the principles by 
which the desired result is to be produced. 
In the use of the clays, as the common, marly and tertiary, I have 
found a variety of opinions, each of which, it is pretended, are based 
on experience. One considers them hurtful, another as useless, while 
a third finds them, on trial, very useful. It is important to understand 
how such a diversity of opinions exists, when they are founded on ex- 
perience. 
I conceive that there are two reasons for this. In the first place, the 
original character of the soil is such that the use of the clays, under no 
circumstances, would be proper, or followed with beneficial results. 
Clay already forms an abundant element in the soil, both for the ali- 
ment of the plant, and for the firmness of the soil. In the second 
place, it is not used in the right state or with due preparation. This 
leads me to the direct question. What is the right mode of using the 
clays, or what preparation do they require? 
1st. The great point to be attended to, is to secure a sufficient de- 
gree of fineness, that they may be incorporated with the soil, and form, 
strictly speaking, a constituent part of it. To attain this object, it is 
necessary that they should be raised in the autumn and placed in heaps, 
that they may be exposed to frost and the atmosphere through the win- 
ter. To assist still further in the process of pulverization, it is better to 
mix them with barn-yard materials, straw, manure, and refuse of any 
kind, either animal or vegetable. This course being pursued with 
them, they should be spread as evenly as possible on green sward, that 
they may enjoy the further benefits of air, moisture, &c. by direct exposure 
during the season. Besides, the grass in passing up through the layer 
will assist greatly in producing a comminuted state. The succeeding 
season, it is in a state to be ploughed in, when it is duly prepared to 
become a constituent part of the soil- it is only in this way that the 
stiff and adhesive clays can be broken up and prepared for an incorpo- 
ration with the other earths. 
