28

Dec 26 /71

[in margin:] The importance of the flowing of sludge after rain is greatly enhanced, by numberless castings brought up after long-continued rain after dry weather.

During last 18° [hours] continuous fine rain, so much has fallen, but never very heavy, & have all the recent castings are in state of poorly & have last transform shape & have subsided. I cut off the larger of turf & measured as before. & it is certain that in almost every case the pulpy moss had flowed a little downwards, so that turf 2/3 was below hole — On Lawn line trail — slope in one part close to down below had been very great [illeg] (see other paper)

It is now certain that casting last long only when first dryed — It is clear that the downward flow of the

28v

which casting — when rendered pulpy, is chief agency.

The orifices come to surface at various angle, ((( but I think generally at right ∠s. & if so, this wd avoid the lowering of the number.

Dec. 29th not only does whole casting collapse & sunken down, but upper part is washed over & flow over lower part. During rain, I put fine chalk on summit alone, & guarded the wet [illeg] but a particle blown, but now often broken & but heavy rain, there are some stubbles of chalk down slope of casting, showing that there has been down-flow.