[1]

Old Used

On the formation of Mould.

Begin with contrasting upper & lower soil

Staying at Mr Wedgwood my attention was called to the appearance presented by fields which had been coated with lime.— on cutting square hole in field near house — which had been well limed 9 or 10 years since & not ploughed or any way disturbed since white in parts almost continuous, or chain of spots about 3 inches beneath surface (NB turf very thin 1/2 inch, fine roots deeper) in some part only 2 1/2 in other three inches (I may observe whole four inches deep looks deeper)—

Beneath pebbly quartzose sole contrasted with upper soil

Dug hole in several parts.— about inch beneath surface layer of cinder placed or about three years since.

Where came tussocks (no worms) generally pebbly soil.—

In irrigated fields patches of cinders had been placed now in part 4 inches deep at depth of three inches complete layers so as to separate upper & lower into strata kept together by fine roots.— beneath spotted red & white clay mangy soil.— contrasted with thin vegetable mould.—

In a field below end of Pool; a patch of quite wet ground about 15 years ago had been drained, ploughed and harrowed, then covered with good layer of burnt marl & cinders— now covered with pretty good but coarse pasture— at 3 inches beneath the surface well defined layer of bright red palates of marl black cinders & few white quartz pebbles.

[sketch:]

vegetable mould 1/2 1 2 3

soil cinders marl pebbles 4 4 1/2

bog soil

[2]

beneath blending with very black peaty soil in fine which quite pebbly came acreage to be not above with fine mould; latter strongly contrasted with peaty soil.—

one pebble of indurated marl 1 x 1/2 x 1/4) some of cinder quite as large certainly at first on surface

NB the contrast of fineness not one particle [crosses]

Farmer aware of this fact say that everything placed on surface work itself down: when pebbly land ploughed on surface covered with pebble yet some years afterwards have disappeared everyone must have observed this.—

Mr Wedgwood hypothesis worms.— NB number of worms in each piece of turf — number of castings.—

In first field-mentioned cinders placed some half year before now either on surface or sticking in turf, I saw some entirely with piles on then: curious result whole surface worm intestines: animal not vegetable mould. Importantly worms ⸮my Fathers story? —

Effect of manure when sinking, layer of marl no doubt retain slower decay parts not consumed by worms & well mixed

⸮ limit of effects perhaps worms occasisonally go downwards & so plough deeper effect within few years about 4 inches.

(action of choice avoiding lime & not being able to swallow pebbles or cinders &c.—

Every part is in fact ploughed — ploughing only imitating nature

Cause of goodness of old Pasture Chalk coral mould earth rock mould

James Lightfoot Little [illeg]