l6S Thoughts on the Application of Dung, May 



on fallows before they are completely cleaned ; though, no 

 4oubt, in wet fummers this operation is not eafily accoinplifhed. 

 To make fure work, the fallows, if poffible, fhould be early 

 fiilrred, and no opportunity fiipt of putting them forward with 

 the utmofi: expedition ; for it rarely happens, at Icaft in Scotland, 

 that much good can be done towards the de(lru£i:ichi of root- 

 weeds after the month of July. Before that time, a judicious 

 farmer will have his fallow drefled up, and in a fuitable ftate for 

 receiving dung. It ihould be well harrowed, if the v/eather is 

 favourable, previous to the dung being laid on ; and if rolled, or 

 made fmooth, the fpreaders will bf: enabled to perform their taifc 

 with much more precifion. 



At the proper feafon, every otlier operation ought to be laid 

 ?Tide, fo as dung may be cxpcditioufly drove out. To do it in 

 wet weather is attended with pernicious effe8:s ; the horfes are 

 oppr^fled, a longer time is required, the land is poached, and in 

 fome meafure deprived of all benefit from the previous fallow. 

 Thefe circumftances will be refieOed upon by the attentive 

 farmer ; they will flimulate him not to lofe a moment wlicn the 

 weather is favourable, and prevent him from forcing on the 

 work, when injury rather than benefit may be expelled. After 

 all, feafons are fometimes fo perverfe, wltnefs 1 790, as to render 

 every rule nugatory. Thefe mnO:, however, be taken as they 

 come j avoiding at fuch times to break the land down, acclivating 

 the ridges fufficiently, and keeping the water-furrows completely 

 clear. By attending to thefe matters, opportunity may be laid 

 hold of, by the active farmer, feveral days fooner than by his 

 flovenly neighbour ; or, at leaft, the work will be got executed m 

 a much more perfeft way than if they had been neglefted. 



The quantity of dung ufually applied to fallows in ordinary 

 condition is from fourteen to twenty double loads per Scotifh 

 acre, though I have often reaped good crops where only twelve 

 loads had been given. So much, hov/evcr, depends upon the 

 condition of the land, upon the quality of durig, and the way in 

 which carts are loaded, that no precife meaning can be commu- 

 nicated by fuch exprefTions. I believe each load may contain 

 one cubic yard and three fourths, and weigh a ton, or tliere- 

 by. It ought alfo to be noticed, that lefs dung will ferve fome 

 lands than others, cfpecially if they have lately been ploughed 

 from grafs ; but, at all events, I am fatisfied, that fixteen luch 

 loads as I have mentioned will anfwer for any fort of foil, unlefs 

 it has been, previoufly quite wrought out. Even if it was in this 

 forlorn flate, I hold it to be better management to dung upon 

 the Hubble of the firft crop, than to give an ovcr-dofe when un» 

 der fummcr failpw. 



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