THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



365 



MANURES FRESH AND FERMENTED; EXPOSING OF LAND 



AND DUNG. 



During a professional education in tlie border 

 county of Roxburgh, in which the very best turnip 

 soils are found, and where, in conjunction with 

 the adjacent districts of Berwickshire and North 

 Northumberland, it is generally supposed that the 

 turnip husbandry is most expertly and economically 

 performed, a most certain belief was inculcated 

 that farm-yard dung must be carried to the fields 

 during winter, and placed in oblong heaps about 

 five feet high, in which the materials are thinly and 

 evenly spread, without any pressure beyond the 

 weight of one or two persons to form the heap in 

 the proper structure. In this condition, fermenta- 

 tion proceeds, and reduces the bulk by more than 

 one-third : the state of reduction has reached a 

 moist saponaceous mass that is mostly cold, or 

 sometimes retaining heat in the month of June, 

 when the dung is applied to the land. A vapour 

 sometimes arises from the heap ; but, in most cases, 

 it is cold and thoroughly moist. In North North- 

 umberland, and around Wooler, a further reduc- 

 tion is preferred of the strawy materials, showing 

 a mass of nearly black putridity. It was enjoined, 

 that the drills of land be opened, the dung spread 

 along the hollows, the drills reversed over the dung, 

 and the turnip seed sown, within half an hour from 

 the land being stirred by the drill plough. Exten- 

 sive farms enable this arrangement being done ; 

 and to exceed half an hour is reckoned very bad 

 management. The dung more fresh in condition 

 was spread on wheat fallows, and directed to be 

 covered by ploughing immediately on being spread, 

 in a few hours, at least on the same day. 



A removal into South Northumberland found a 

 very extensive practice, on a farm of 700 acres, 

 wholly arable, chiefly in clay soils for wheat fallows, 

 overlying the coal measures, and a portion of very 

 light turnip soils, lying on the parent rock of sand- 

 stone that accompanies the coal formation, rises 

 in some places to the surface, and forms the build- 

 ing stones of that country from the Tyne to Tweed, 

 along the sea coast. The above maxims of practice 

 were most carefully executed, under the general 

 direction of a superior in office; but, in which, all 

 the details were left to the guidance of my own 

 superintendence. In such extensive arrangements, 

 circumstances and accidents will occur, to dis- 

 arrange the continued execution, in short inter- 

 ruptions, and which exhibit results for instruction, 

 if the due notice is regarded. 



A partially fermented heap of farmyard dung, 



that had lain in position from March and April, 

 failed to complete the manuring of a fallow field in 

 August, when the necessary supply was carried 

 from the farmyard in the fresh excrements of horses 

 and cattle mixed in with the straws of litter. The 

 materials were as rough as could exist, and were 

 laid on the fallow ground in the usual quantity, 

 spread and covered by the ploughing. The rough 

 condition prevented the covering of the dung, 

 which laid mostly above ground for two months, 

 exposed to sun, wind, rain, and drought. A most 

 severe rebuke was administered by the general di- 

 rector, for exhibiting such an unsightly and ruin- 

 ous performance, with a last admonition to never 

 again disgrace the practice of agriculture in such a 

 manner, but rather to leave ground without ma- 

 nure. The seed furrowing of the land in October 

 did not then cover the rough materials, which were 

 torn and pulled about by the harrows, affording a 

 covering to the surface, over winter, in the manner 

 of a top-dressing. When the Spring vegetation 

 commenced, the wheat, in the ground so manured, 

 advanced rapidly beyond the field of land — show- 

 ing a more vigorous growth, broader leaves, and a 

 much darker green colour, till the full ripening was 

 attained ; the superiority was most evident, and vi- 

 sible from the entrance of the field. The stooks 

 of the reaped crop of wheat were thicker on the 

 ground than the general crop ; and the pickles of 

 grain were longer, and richer in colour. The prac- 

 tice of subsequent years omitted the fermentation 

 of farmyard dung for wheat lands; but the re- 

 linquishment did not sufficiently progress to the 

 necessary estabhshment of the superiority of fresh 

 over heated matters, as a higher oflScial authority 

 had a command and a restriction. On being 

 shown such a proof of superiority, the general di- 

 rector surveyed and acknowledged ; but gave no 

 reason, nor received any change of dogmatical 

 opinion. 



My own conviction has led to the opinion that 

 dung be used fresh in the excrements and straws 

 mixed, remain on the surface of the ground over 

 winter, and exposed to the weathers as may occur. 

 Farmyard dung may be best applied to wheat crops 

 in being spread over the young brairds in March, 

 as a top-dressing; and done by means of fight 

 waggons, running along moveable railways of tim- 

 ber, placed at proper intervals. A very careful 

 spreading of the dung will cover the ground ; and, 

 in four or six weeks after the harrowings, in sow- 



