t66 Thoughts on the Application cf Dtmg. Mzj 



rcrpe£ls fimilar to that of turnips, but in others it differs mate- 

 rially. Potatoes are planted earlier in the feafon than turnips ; 

 the ground rarely receives fo much v/ork ; the foils upon which 

 they are cultivated are more variable ; and the dung confidcred 

 to be moll fuitable for promoting their growth, does not require 

 fuch high preparation. Many farmers, notwithftanding thefe 

 circumftauces, follow out the lame procefs as defcribed under 

 the head of turnips. After tlie ground receives three, or at 

 mod, four ploughings, the drills are made up, dung depofited in 

 the intervals, the feed planted above the dung, and the drills re- 

 verfed ; after which, fay at the diilance of two or three weeks, 

 a flight harrowing is given. Several obie«fl:ions occur to this 

 mode j fuch as, that the feed is generally kept too near the fur- 

 face, which in dry feafons proves unfavourable to the crop ; the 

 dung, unlefs it be very fliort, is apt to be drawn up by the har- 

 rows, and the feed removed from its -original birih. Thefe 

 things induce other farmers (and probably they are right) to ad- 

 i^pt a different fyftem : They avoid making up drills, but dung 

 the ground in what may be called the broad-cafl way ■, and, en- 

 tering the plough, plant the feed in every third furrow, into 

 which only the dung is raked, and fo on till the v/hole is finifli- 

 fd. Before the young plants appear, or even after they are 

 iibove the furface, a hearty harrowing is given, which is confi- 

 dered as equal to a hand-hoeing •, and from the dung being com- 

 pletely covered, fcarce any cf it is dragged up, while the feed, 

 being undermoft, none of it is difturbed by the operation. Both 

 modes have their advantages and difadvantages. The firft is 

 jcarried on with lefs trouble, and more regularity ; the lafl, per- 

 Jiaps, with mod: advantage to the crop, efpecially on heavy foils — 

 the feed furrow ioofening the ground more effectually than can 

 be given by the forming of drills. Several farmers do not dung 

 their potato fields ; but, referving the manure till &iie crop is re- 

 moved, find the remainder of the rotation greatly benefited. 

 Potatoes fcourge feverely, and, in general cafes, require a larger 

 dofe of dung than turnips \ but as the extent of land under this 

 culture is not great in common farming, few people grudge this 

 extra quantity, becaufe, except in a few favoured htuations, a 

 good crop canriot otherwife be reafonably exp(r6t£tl. 



I come now to the Jccond branch of my fubjecSt, the manuring 

 of clay foils, or thofe where turnips are not taken as a firil crop. 

 Such, it is prefumed, include at kail three fourths of Great 

 Britain, though recent circumilances may have Icffcucd their ex- 

 .tci;t confulerably. 



Upon all foils incumbent on a wet or clofe bottom, whether 

 chir -v^crifed as cl^iy, loam, or mcor^ it may be laid down as a 



primary 



