1804. 'lljoughts on the Ma7iage?ncnt of Dung. 39 



nure. 1 certainly view fuch pra6lical details as infinitely better 

 calculated to convey ufeful inftruclion, than abflrufe (lifquifitioiis, 

 or fine fpun theories, refpcfting the food of plants, and the w ay 

 in which fuch arc nounflicd and fupported. It ina ure is ne- 

 ceflary to the well being of j^lants (a point dilputtd by none iu 

 this age, fo far as my knowledge reaches), then it is of liT-aH 

 importance to the farmer, how, and through \v hat channel iti 

 virtues are communicated, it is beneficial, and that is enough'. 

 Therefore, all that iy required, is knov\ ledge how to increafe th^ 

 quantity, and ufe it in the moil advantageous manner. 



As straw is the bafis of manure, one would be led to tlank 

 that every good huftaiidman would bellow tl:e moil fedulous at- 

 tention upon the Hiearing or cuttmg of his cro}», fo as the great- 

 eft poflible quantity ol the raw material migiit be procured. Ve- 

 ry different, however, is the condu<5l of farmers in general ,• and 

 over one half of Britain, it may be fately eitimated, that at leall 

 one-fourth of the (I raw is left in the field, where its flrength is 

 wafled and diffipated by the rains and ilorms that commonly 

 prevail at the couclufion of autumn. In fome diilrifts a flricler 

 attention is nou paid to this important operation, and it is to 

 be hoped that fuch an improvement will gradually extend over 

 all. Independent of the additional grain gained, the increafe of 

 manure will more than compenfate the increafed expence of 

 reaping the crops in an accurate manner. 



While I recommend, that the crop fliovild be cut low, in order 

 that materials for making manure may be increafed, 1 by no 

 means cciitend for that degree of finical accuracy, whicli requires 

 that not one flalkof the flubble fliall be of greater height than iia 

 neighbour; a degree of perfeftion accompli ihcd, perhaps, at a 

 greater expence than can be repaid by the benelit derived, ef- 

 pecially when tlie value of labour is fo enormoufly advanced. 

 This kmd of cutting can only be obtained, from putting a very 

 fmall quantity into the hook at once, and rarely makes a per- 

 ceptible increafe upon the bulk ; whereas, by running the fickle 

 upon the ground, drawing a level llroke, and gathering no 

 mnre into the hand than can be fairly cut, all the advantages of 

 low Ihearing are obtained at a very trifling increafe of expence. 

 I am fatisficd that, by a iteady perfeverance in this pradice, from 

 one to two tons of manure (per acre) may be annually gaii^ed, 

 more than what was procured in former times, efpccially where 

 the crops are good. This annual increafe mull operate power- 

 fully upon the improvement of the country, the eflecls being 

 precifely fimilar to thofe of adding compound intereit ; and, of 

 co^irfe, furnifhes the means of gradually rendering every acre of 

 land in the kingdom fertile and produclive. 



The ufual modes of couverting flraw into dung, seed hardly 



C 4 ' ■ be 



