MR. W. G. CLARKE ON BRECKI.AN D CHARACTERISTICS. 577 
provide food for game. Of corn crops, rye sown early in the 
autumn, under ordinary circumstances gives the best crop. 
In a season like 1907 barley and oats do fairly well, for there 
is enough moisture and not too much sun, but in a dry season 
about the middle of July the crops seem to shrivel quite up 
and become unharvestable. In 1906, when Rushford Heath 
was first cropped after lying fallow for about 20 years, it 
yielded a fair crop of rye, and in the following year — which 
was exceptionally favourable — the yield was 8 coombs of 
oats and 4? coombs of rye per acre. The same year (1907) one 
of the finest crops of oats grown on the Shadwell estate was 
that from Elder Hill Heath, which was only broken up 
12 months previously, and treated with artificial manures 
containing large amounts of potash. In the early half of the 
19th century it was a general practice to cart a large quantity 
of marl out of the pits, and “ top-dress ” the land, but it seems 
necessary once this has been started, to continue it, for it is 
found that land which has never been marled will grow better 
crops than if it had been so treated in days gone by and the 
practice then discontinued. On some of the Icklingham 
“ brecks ” 14 and 15 coombs per acre of barley have been 
grown, but as a rule 5 coombs per acre is considered a very 
fair average. Wheat is financially unprofitable. Peas do 
well in a wet season, as also does mustard, of which a large 
acreage is sown for sheep feed. Clovers are usually dis- 
appointing as they get burnt up or thrown out of the land by 
frost. When once established lucerne does extremely well, 
as it is impervious to drought, will give three cuttings a season 
and last for 6 or 7 years. It will, however, not grow unless 
there are at least 6 inches of soil above the chalk. Kidney 
vetch grows very abundantly and produces a heavy crop, 
while sanfoin does well and makes excellent hay. Lupin is 
another plant with a tap root which grows well where there is 
nothing but pure sand, but where there is an admixture of 
chalk it is a failure. Lupin grows so densely as to be some- 
times planted with the part purpose of killing weeds. As 
there is an almost total want of humus in the soil, mustard 
and lupins are often ploughed in so as to obtain a proper 
