greatest consequence where chalk is procured in such abundance, as all the farmers use it very plentifully to manure their crop, chiefly for wheat. But the present use of it renders the expense so heavy, and the repetition so rapid, as to put the effect of liming in a very questionable point of view. The farmers generally lay it on their fallows from 80 to 120 bushels, every fourth or fifth year, and some use it every third year.'

P. 203. "As the chalk-hills extend no further than EastBourne, in order therefore to supply the rest of the county, the chalk is shipped in sloops from the Holywell pits at Beachy-bead, from whence it is carried to the Bexhill, Hastings, and Rye kilns: here it is burnt into lime, where the farmers come with their teams and take it away at 6d. per bushel. In this trade 16 sloops are considerably employed from April to the month of November. Nine of these belong to Hastings, and seven to the port of Rye. The total quantity consumed at these kilns, for one year, amounts nearly to 633 sloop-loads of chalk, each containing 550 bushels, or about 350,000 bushels."

Lime from Stones.-P. 205. “Besides the lime burnt from chalk, another great supply from limestone is drawn from the bowels of the earth, in the Weald.

"Of this the Earl of Ashburnham is almost the sole proprietor, and the greatest lime-burner in all the kingdom; the spray-faggot of all his extensive woods being cut down as fuel for his kilns."-A plate and verbal description, of one of the kilns, are given.

P. 208. "The two sorts of limestone in use are very different in the effect which the fire has upon them. The one, a grey stone, is a mass of marine shells, and the exuviæ of sea animals: this will at first bear the necessary degree of heat without danger; is very tough, and will open a little without flying; but, upon fire being continued too long, will vitrify. The other is a blue stone, very much inclined to crack and fly to pieces, and requires great attention, to prevent the stone forming the arch, from breaking and letting in the kiln. By continuing fire too long, and too fiercely, it runs into a powder, although it does not vitrify like the other: it is a much stronger cement than the grey, or chalk."

This is probably the "blue lias" of the west of England and other districts;-properly, clay stone; as it is usually found embedded in clay, in various parts of the kingdom; and in Glocestershire, is known by the name of "claystone." It is liable to burst in the kiln with the report of a gun; and burns to a sulphur-colored lime. As a cement, in" water-work," it is nearly equal to terras; and is fre

quently

quently carried to a great distance, in different parts of England, for that purpose. It probably lies, in a state of neglect, in many places; through the want of that peculiar property being known. My principal motive, this, for bringing it into view, bere.

It usually rises in broad slabs, about five or six inches thick; the body of the stone being of a dark-blue color; but is generally coated with white. It is mostly of a smooth even texture; with frequently, however, the remains of a few minute broken shells. It is commonly found in flat vale districts, under very cold clayey lands; and, mostly, a few feet beneath the surface. Coltsfoot abounding is a strong indication of it. It is observable in the faces of sea cliffs, on different parts of the coasts of this island, in alternate strata with thick seams of clay;-its invariable adjunct, I believe.

P. 210. "The great demand for lime in the eastern parts of the Weald, induced the Earl of Ashburnham, a few years since, to set about a method of drawing up the limestone from under ground, for the supply of the neighbourhood. This great undertaking he has most successfully accomplished, and the neighbouring farmers for many miles round, are now supplied from his works.

"The lime-works are situated in a valley in the centre of Orchard-wood, Dallington-forest, &c. The shaft by which we descended is four feet by five, boarded, with ladders for the men to go and return from their work, which is 80 feet deep, more or less: through this the stone is drawn up in barrels, of 5 cwt. to each, one descending while the other ascends. The whole machinery is moved by a horse, and is the same with that generally used in collieries."

P. 211. "The kilns begin working in April. In 1792, the account stood thus:

"Respecting these lime-works, it is impossible not to admire the spirit with which his Lordship entered upon this arduous undertaking, by sending for miners and ar

tificers

tificers skilled in the operation of mining: his success has corresponded to the spirit which first animated his endeavours, and he now reaps the fruit of his labour, in creating a supply for the neighbouring farmers, which before was to be had but in small quantities, and that at a dearer rate, or it was obliged to be brought from a distance."

Marl.-P. 212. "In the maritime district, this excellent manure is in great abundance a few feet under the surface. It is to be preferred when it contains much of that greasy kind of soapiness, which has worked such wonders in various parts of this district. Great exertions have been used in marling these fertile soils."

This was, at the time of report, a recent discovery of high importance to this naturally valuable little district. See my SOUTHERN COUNTIES-District, Seacoast of Sussex.

Sleech.-P. 218. "Sleech, or sea-mud, is not uncommonly used as manure in the neighbourhood of the sea: they spread from 12 to 1300 bushels of it for wheat; but the land has been too frequently dosed with it, to render it any longer answerable. It is inferior both to marl and chalk."

TILLAGE. Fallowing. To this topic the Reporter has repeatedly turned his attention, in the course of his work. His sentiments concerning it, however, savor of the closet, rather than of the field of practice.

ARABLE CROPS.

WHEAT.-Manure. In the following strictures, we perceive the profundity of this Reporter's researches into philosophic agriculture; and the scientific manner in which he conveys his discoveries to the public.

P. 80." There is about Fastbourne, Jevington, &c. a bad custom on the arable lands of that neighbourhood, spreading in July forty large loads of dung per acre, to be sown with wheat at Michaelmas; and they leave it till then on the surface, exposed to the sun and wind. Upon what system they can follow this custom, it is difficult to conjecture. If they would reflect on the fact of the volatile alkali being the food of plants," (!)" and that one of the principal causes of the fertility resulting from dung, is its containing that evaporative salt, surely they would think that some experiments on this point would not be undeserving their notice. If they will try the effects of spirits of hartshorn applied to common-field earth in a garden-pot, they will presently be convinced of one fact" (which?); "and if they then expose some of the same spirit to the atmosphere in a plate, they will soon understand another

fact

fact not less important" (what?): "these two trials are very easily made; and he who tries them will not be ready afterwards to expose his dung-hills one moment longer than necessary."-Ha! ha!

Semination of Wheat.-Are we to conclude, from the subjoined notices, on hand-hoing, (which we are informed is "most generally adopted" (?), that wheat is seldom, or never, drilled, in Sussex ?-P. 87." This operation of handhoeing wheat is disapproved by Mr. Ellman, who never hoes his white corn, having given it up from a conviction that his crops were never benefited by the practice; but on the contrary, that it always did mischief." Again, "I bave heard excellent farmers declare, that if a man would pay for the hoeing their wheat, they would not permit the operation, being convinced that it did more harm than good."

These can scarcely be the unqualified sentiments of "excellent farmers." They are doubtlessly intended to be confined to full, even crops of wheat; and not to be extended to the thin weedy parts of an irregular crop.

Treading Wheat Land.-P. 88. "Mr. Kenward, of Fletching, uses six and eight oxen in drawing a light pair of harrows; and he remarked, that they were not, on such occasions, used either at harrows or ploughing for the draught; but for the treading on such of the Weald lands as tend pretty much to sand, or rather a sort of soft abraded stone. He named a farmer who could get no wheat, until he drove all his oxen, cows, and sheep, repeatedly over his land, directly after sowing."-If it be meet to sow wheat on such land, the expedient hit upon is admirable.

P. 89." Upon dry soils subject to poppy, Mr. Ellman, of Shoreham, ploughs his tare and rape land for wheat, the beginning or middle of September, to sow the wheat the middle of October. The harrowing kills the poppy; and in putting in the seed, he likes to tread much with oxen, or with sheep. A neighbour treads his with oxen in March, which he thinks better against poppy, than doing it at sowing."

Barn Management of Wheat.-P. 90. "Thrashing the wheat is every where performed by flail-work, and cleaned either with a shovel and broom, or by winnowing-machines. Three instances occur of thrashing-machines having been erected, namely, that of Sir Richard Hotham's, at Bognor, which has been out of repair; Mr. Pennington's, at Ashburnham; and the Earl of Egremont's, at Petworth."

Produce

* To what end? Why, to prove, by a novel method, that the whole world of vegetables live, grow, and have their being-in sal volatile.

Produce of Wheat.-A gradation of products are exhibited, in this report; rising from twelve to fiftytwo bushels, an acre.-The subjoined notice further shows the almost wonderful fertility of the seacoast of Sussex.

P. 93. "One of the most extraordinary experiments that was made in this county, was by the father of the present Mr. Car, of Bedingham, who upon a piece of land" (31 acres)" that had been left by the sea at Bishopstone, tried how often in immediate succession it might profitably be sown with wheat; not so much from an experimental intention, as from the circumstances arising in the trial." (!) "The first erop was seven quarters; the second, the same; the third, six; the fourth, fifth, and sixth, each five quarters, upon an average."

BARLEY.-Produce.-P. 99. "The produce may be estimated to vibrate from three to six quarters. Perhaps the average is four quarters."

PEAS.-P. 102. "Pease are much cultivated in Sussex, especially on the South Downs, and along the maritime district. The common preparation is to sow them after one ploughing, either upon a wheat, barley, or oat-gratten; the land is ploughed from four to five inches; four or five bushels of seed are sown. The produce is very variousfrom two and a half to four, and even five quarters per acre. They are often drilled; many farmers preferring this method to the common one of broad-cast."

P. 222. Mr. Woods hoes his pease by fixing together two five-inch hoes at three inches asunder (between which a drill passes), in such a manner, that a man draws it after him. Of this work one man will hoe an acre per day." For the origin of the "double handhoe," see the MINUTES of AGRICULTURE.

BUCKWEET.-P. 128. "Mr. Davis had one year eight acres of buck-wheat at Bedingham, which his shepherd fed with the flock when in full blossom, for two hours: all were drunk; the glands of three were swelled quite to the eyes; none blown; but were staggering and tumbling. On hogs it had the same effect: bleeding made the sheep worse; however he lost none." Q. By the buck weet, or weed of poppy?

HOPS.-P. 129." In the eastern part of Sussex, they are much cultivated."

P. 131. "The parish of Salehurst contains the largest plantation of hops in the county; between three and four hundred acres."

It may be observed, here, that the hop culture of Sussex is confined to the two extremities of the County. In the western extreme, it is conducted according to the Farnham

practice;