12 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[October 3. 
found imbedded in the clay. The earths which constitute 
the clay have plainly undergone the action of water, for the j 
nodules of chalk show evident signs of attrition, some of 
them appear in the form of pebbles; but this action seems 
to have been neither sufficiently violent nor long-continued 
to produce any great change in the flints ; they have much 
the same appearance as those which are dug out of chalk¬ 
pits ; they still retain a part, and sometimes apparently the 
whole, of their white coating, and their cavities are often 
filled with pieces of chalk. 
I have described this clay, because in this district it is 
very beneficially and almost universally employed as a 
manure. Sixty or seventy loads per acre arc usually laid 
upon heath, or common, or pasture land, when first broken- 
up. It is considered as indispensable to the cultivation of 
land when first brought under the plough, whether the soil 
be light or heavy. I am informed that upon light land a 
hundred loads per acre are sometimes used. When the land 
has been for some time in cultivation as arable land, it will 
want claying once in about twenty years; but then the 
quantity required is not more than forty, or, at most, fifty 
loads per acre. The clay is procured by sinking not shafts 
but open pits, whence it is drawn in carts by horses, but it is 
sometimes wheeled out by men in barrows. Pits are seldom 
opened to the depth of more than about fifteen feet, because the 
clay which lies near the surface is preferable to that which is 
found at considerable depths; since the former contains a 
greater proportion of calcareous earth than the latter. I 
suppose it is only the calcareous part of the clay that fertilizes 
heavy lands, though the argillaceous part has, undoubtedly, 
a beneficial effect upon sandy or peaty soils, by supplying 
an ingredient which in such soils is almost entirely wanting; 
but strong clay—that is, clay containing a large proportion of 
argillaceous earth is seldom found under sandy soils; a 
great deal of sand is usually mixed with it, and it sometimes 
passes into a kind of marl, provincially called “ murgin,” 
which seems to consist entirely of pulverised chalk, not un¬ 
like whiting ; and, indeed, it is used by the poorer people 
fur whitewashing the walls and ceilings of their houses. The 
quality of the surface soil is evidently determined by the 
quality of the subsoil. 
When the clay has been drawn from the pits it is laid in 
heaps, and then spread upon the land. This should be done 
between the end of harvest and the beginning of winter, that 
the clay may bo crumbled by the frost, and so be in a fit state 
for ploughing-in in the spring. 
I have spoken of the use of clay in agriculture, but I 
believe that every one who has tried it can bear witness from 
experience that it is not less beneficial to the garden than 
to the farm. I am sure I can for one. The soil of my 
garden is a mixed soil—that is, neither light nor strong; it 
is rather gravelly, but not poor; and it has been very much 
improved by being clayed. But gardens, the soil of which 
is naturally very poor and sandy, are made, by the applica¬ 
tion of clay, to bear luxuriant crops of almost every descrip¬ 
tion of garden produce. I, of course, suppose that, in addi¬ 
tion to the clay, a proper quantity of stable-yard manure is 
made use of. 
But I think I hear some of your readers say, “ why do you 
encumber your pages with a notice upon the clay of Norfolk 
and Suffolk, when those who live in other districts cannot 
procure it, and every gardener and farmer, and every labourer 
in those counties is perfectly acquainted with the use of it, 
and wants no information upon the subject that your cor¬ 
respondent can give them ? ” I answer, though that parti¬ 
cular description of earth is, I believe, peculiar to the eastern 
counties, yet other earths, which would be quite as useful as 
a manure, may undoubtedly be found in many other parts of 
the country. It is true that the geological position of the 
clay which has been here described is above the chalk, but a 
kind of clay, or, to speak more properly, of marl, is very fre¬ 
quently, perhaps very generally, found extending over a con¬ 
siderable breadth of country at the foot of the chalk ranges, 
plainly washed down, in the course of a long series of ages, 
from the adjacent hills. This marl would, I suppose, be as 
valuable a manure as the clay of the eastern counties, per¬ 
haps more valuable for most kinds of land, because it con 
tains a greater’ proportion of calcareous earth. And I think 
it not improbable that earth, which might be used for the 
same purpose, may be found in the form of marl or of cal¬ 
careous gravel or sand, at the foot of hills composed of lime¬ 
stone much harder than chalk. In Kent pure chalk is very 
commonly used as a manure. 
In short, the whole of this lengthy notice might, perhaps, 
be comprised in these few words:—Most soils will be im¬ 
proved by the application of calcareous earth, or any kind of 
limestone that will yield to the action of the frost and of the 
air; and those soils which are sandy or peaty, or which con¬ 
tain much inert vegetable matter, will be improved by the 
application of a mixture of calcareous and argillaceous 
earth. Rev. E. Simons. 
DOMESTIC MECHANISM. 
Box Churn.— This simple and ingenious contrivance is 
the invention of an eminent mechanic. Get a deal box of 
dimensions according to fancy—longer than broad; the 
joints must be perfectly water-tight, and the lid must fit 
very close. A t the upper sides, exactly in the centre, fasten 
firmly two iron bolts with holes smoothly bored at their 
upper parts. The diameter of these should be about an 
inch. Erect two uprights, the distance between which 
should be a little more than the breadth of the box ; the 
height of these three and a half or four feet. At the upper 
part, stretch a smoothly turned bar, of a diameter a little 
less than that of the holes in the bolts of the box. Before 
finally fastening the two upright supports together, pass the 
bar through the holes of the bolts, thus suspending the box 
between them. The box may be easily made to swing back¬ 
wards and forwards on the bar, the centre of its motion 
being above the box. At the ends of the box in the interior, 
fasten angular pieces of wood, 
stretching across the box; let 
these be rounded, as shown in 
the cut, in their inner side. 
Supposing the machine to be 
properly fastened and hung, 
fill the box with milk, and put 
on the close fitting lid. To 
churn and agitate the fluid, all 
that is necessary is to move 
the box lengthways back and forwards. The pieces of 
rounded wood at the ends will throw back the milk at each 
swing, causing great commotion. The machine may be 
simply worked by levers. If necessary, in a future number 
we will give a sketch of a simple method. A farmer, who 
has used this simple contrivance, used to affirm that he could 
sit and read his newspaper and churn many a pound of 
butter. 
Table Cooking Stew Pan. —The simple and effective 
contrivance shown in the annexed wood cut, has been used 
in many families not only with 
economy as regards time and 
money, but also on account of 
its cooking small dishes so 
delightfully. We have heard it 
get several names ; of these 
we like the “conjurer” best. L _j 
We have ate many a pound of / \ 
good steak cooked by it, and 
invariably found it improved 
“ most magically.” From the spedey nature of the opera 
tiou and the closeness and lightness of the pan, meat, how¬ 
ever tough, is rendered “beautifully tender.” We have no 
doubt that many of our readers have seen it; others, we 
dare say more numerous, have not. For the benefit of these 
we give the sketch. A description is almost unnecessary. 
It consists of a circular pan some six or seven inches diame¬ 
ter, and three or four deep, provided with a tripod stand and 
a shelf beneath it. On this shelf is placed a small open dish, 
some one and a half or two inches diameter, containing 
spirits of wine (or good whisky does famously). The meat, 
with its “ garnishing,” is put into the pan, and covered in 
with a very close-fitting lid. The spirits of wine are lighted 
and placed on the shelf beneath. You may place the whole 
apparatus on the table before you; you will not have to wait 
long for your meal. On taking off the lid, “ the grateful 
odour ” arising will greet your nostrils, and readily convince 
you that the apparatus is indeed a conjurer. B. 
