On Burning' Clay. 
209 
Article IX .—On the VtiUtif of Bur nine/ Clay., as a mean ft 
of correciiny the Soil for Gardens. By Mr. Stafford, 
Gardener to R. Arkwright, Esq., Willersley-Castle, near 
Cromford, Derbyshire. 
Gextlemex, 
1 NOW send you my promised Method of Burning Clay; 
and as it has fallen to my lot to operate on that material twenty-two 
years out of forty-eight, I may, perhaps, claim some attention from 
those who may be inclined to correct that material. Nothing can be 
more unfortunate to the proprietor, and to the person whose lot it is 
to conduct a garden, when the site happens to be a natural strong 
clay, and as this so often occurs, it has always given me the utmost 
concern. Until lately a remedy has been out of the question. 
An occurrence, however, took place some years ago, which forcibly 
convinced me of the important benefit that might be derived, from 
attention to the subject. The instance is this:—a Mr. Nightingale, 
near this place, enclosed a piece of ground for a garden, of strong 
clay, and being acquainted with that celebrated x\griculturalist, Mr. 
Toilet, of Betley, Staffordshire, he asked his opinion on the subject, 
who advised him to let the whole be burnt, which it was done in a few 
weeks; and a work was completed, I may say, in a few days, that 
never could, otherwise, have been done in his whole lifetime, that is, 
he rendered the ground prolific; and I never witnessed better success 
in crops, tlian I have done of every crop that has been planted in this 
composition. 
A gentleman, who had enclosed a piece of ground of strong clayey 
soil, some years ago, enquired (through the means of the Gardener’s 
IVIagazine, I think) whether he could have taken any other method 
than adding sand, ashes, light earth, vegetable mould, and other such 
like materials, sufficient to have made a garden upon a bare rock; but 
when, (he adds) the whole was incorporated, it still remained a garden 
of clay. 
I was then, unprepared to make any answer to such enquiries, but 
have since much regretted, 1 did not take up the subject at the time. 
To make a proper calculation of the expense will be attended with 
some little difficulty, as it will very much depend on the materials used 
to burn with. Some persons recommend coal; this however, I con¬ 
demn, as being of too violent a nature. 
When I first came to this place, although the garden had been formed 
twenty-five years, with most excellent judgment, it was, for the most 
part, a strong clay ; and within nine inches of the surface, even the 
most common articles would not live upon it. No weather appeared 
VOL. I, No. 5. DD 
