ON MANURES, \^J 



acres well dressed with good rotten dung, ten acres well 

 Jiroed, and the whole sown with oats and seeds. The part 

 folded had not a bag of oats an acre, and the seeds were 

 not worth saving: that which was dunged succeeded very 

 little better: while that which was limejfl produced a very 

 excellent crop of oats and seeds. 



In Glendale ward, Northumberland, the *oil is naturally 

 dry, duffy, light, full of fibrous roots, and, when in fallow, 

 on passing over it you sink to the ankles. After it is suffi- 

 ciently limed, the fibrous roots disappear,, the soil becomes 

 denser, firm to tread, retentive of moisture, and produces 

 better and more abundant crops of grain: and, if laid to 

 grass, white clover appears to an inch where the lime was 

 spread. Even on a burning sand four chaldrons an acre 

 /have had a striking effect; but then the sand was covered 

 with a mossy sward. 



Lime does worst on a cold hungry clay. It cannot suc- 

 ceed, where in the farmer's language it has nothing to work 

 upon ; where water deprives it of its most material proper- 

 ties; or where frequent repetiton3 have given a lull dose of 

 calcareous earth, and consumed every vegetable particle. 

 After paring and burning lime is at best useless, the vegeta- 

 ble fibres being already destroyed by fire. 



Where calcareous manures are required, powdered lime- Limestone, <k 

 stone may be employed with excellent effect. Perhaps it ^ iestone P*" 

 may be questioned, whether limestone gravel be not the best 

 of all manures for improving a peat bog. 



4. Clay, Loam, and Sand. 



The effect of these depends on the deficiency of the soil. Clay, loan, St 

 Clay is every where Tbeneficial on sand : but sand is not san * 

 equally so on clay, for many clays coutuin far more sand in 

 their composition, than farmers are apt to suspect. Sandy 

 loams are frequently considered as clays, because they are 

 heavy for want of effectual draining. 



Sea-sand partakes of another class of manures. It con- s^ sam j # 

 tains muriate of soda ; and if it be a shelly sand it is so far 

 allied to shell marie. 



5. Burnt 



