l804- ^lioughts on the AppViccitkn of Dung, 167 



primary principle, that du!ijr cannot be ib profnably applied, as 

 "while under the procefs of lummer fdlovv. Theoriils, and hall"^ 

 bred agricuhuriils, may reafon as they pleafe againft a coniinua- 

 tion of this ancient pra(!:^ic':j ; they may ailert, witli the utmolk 

 confidence, that innnenfe benefit v.ould be gained by Uying it 

 afide, and referring to the drill fyltem ; but tiieir argunientb will 

 have little effe£l upon people prHCtically acquainted witii the 

 management of argillaceous toils, who do not take one feafoii as at 

 rule, but are gui.ied by the dictates of common le'.'ie, acquiredj 

 <iuring fucceflive yeavs, in the fchool of experience. Whatever 

 difpute maj have happened on this, fubj.ct, I .'m fatislied that 

 the oppofite fide of the queuion is rarely eipcifed by aftuil 

 farmers, I mean, fucli as have farmed wet lands \ ■ and that cwtxi 

 thofe, whole praAice has in fome degree fan£lioned a contrary 

 opinion, were influenced to make thefe temj.orary deviations by 

 motives of expedience, not by general principles. It is fome- 

 times neceflary for fuch to raife a few turnips, in order that live 

 ftock may be enabled to meet a market, or be preferved at a 

 critical period ; others have partially reforted to this culture, as 

 the means of rotting dung : but, under whatever imprelfions 

 they afted, few or none ever judged that fuch deviations could 

 be defended upon abftratSl; principles, though certainly they might 

 be fupported by expediency and exifting circumflances. Inclined 

 to believe that fuch are the ruling fentiments of Britifii agricul- 

 turilts, I fliall enter upon the important queflion. How, and in 

 what manner can dung be mofi: profitably applied to clay lands, 

 or thofe, of whatever variety they may be compofed, as are in- 

 cumbent upon a clofe bottom or fubfoil ? 



I have already noticed, that when the ground is under the 

 procefs of fummer fallow, the beft and moft appropriate time 

 for applying manure to clay foils will be got. When under this 

 procefs, the foil, comparatively fpeaking, is reduced into minute 

 particles, which affords an opportunity oi conveying the virtues 

 cf manure through the veins or pores of iiil its parts. The foil, 

 at that time, is alfo freed from its aboriginal inhabitants — quick- 

 ens and other root-weeds who claim a preferable right of fup- 

 pori ; hence the artificial plants, afterwards cultivated, poflels, 

 without a rival, fuch fupplies as have been granted, without any 

 deduction whatever. In fliort, without laying any ilrefs upon 

 elementary effefts during the procefs, it does not admit of a 

 doubt, that the like quantity of manure beO"owed upon the 

 ground when fummer- fallowed, will produce a greater return to 

 the occupier, than if it had been applied at any otiier flage of 

 .the rotation. 



Under thefe ideas, it appears that dung (hould not be laid up- 



L 4 9l\ 



