l8o3« ^^^ i^-^' Fjlaic of Dunnichen. 157 



As a manure, {hell marl nncak'iiied Is therefore to be ufcd as 

 lime; but in that Hate, it is not {(i minutely divifible, nor 

 fo foluble in water, and of courfe more tardy in its ope- 

 ration ; of confequence, however, it remains much longer in 

 the foil than quicklime. On the comparative value of fliell 

 marl and lime, Mr Lummis, in an eiTay quoted in Maxwell's 

 Hulbandry, remarks, ' Notwithftanding that lime is fo very good 

 manure, yet I prefer marl to it ; becaufe, lading five times as 

 long, it is in the end much cheaper, although fometimes it is 

 more chargeable at firft than the other.' i ikewife, it is obvious 

 that the quantity of calcareous matter in a boll of fliell marl is 

 more than double that in a boll of powdered quicklime. The 

 price ought therefore to be more than double. 



When Dunnichen Mofs was drained, it muft have been co- 

 vered with heath. The heath-turf, and the remnant of the 

 flems and floriferous parts of the heath plants, are yet found 

 every where on the fuiface. It had afterwards, however, from 

 being long drained, acquired a fward of coarfe grafs. Beneath, 

 there are found birch and alder trees, and large oak roots, fixed 

 in the fand, with the remains of mufci, rufhes, fedges, and 

 flags. Before the improvement of the furface was firft con- 

 ceived, it had been cut every where into deep pits for fuel. 

 The levelling and digging of the furface of that part of it now 

 improved, therefore, became the firft necefiary operation. It 

 was all dug over and levelled with the fpade, and divifion- 

 furrows, 30 feet diftance, were made, down to the fand, for 

 carrying the water into the main drains. Thefe operations, by 

 reafon of its inequality of furface, coft 4I. per acre, amounting 

 to about 69I. for digging and levelling near fixteen acres, iu 

 fummer 1800. In fp ring 1801, thefe grounds were fown with 

 early oats, except a quarter of an acre planted with yams. 

 The yams had dung adminiftered to them ; and though 

 their haulms were cut ofF, after they had fprung up, bv 

 a froft, that did not afPeft the potatoes in the higher grounds^ 

 yet they grew up again, and a crop was produced more weighty 

 by double than on any of Mr Dempfter's beft fields that feafon. 

 The oats. Indeed, which received no manure whatever, were too 

 rank, and therefore lodged. The produce was fixty bolls Linlith- 

 gow meafure, eftimated at 15s. per boll; amount L. 45 o o 

 The yams am.ounted to 12 bolls of 20 ftones Dutch 



wtiight each, at 5 s. per boil - - 300 



L. 48 o o 

 Dedud- the expence of feed, and the labour of har- 

 rowing - - - - 14 o o 



Gain on the firft year's produce - L 34 o o 



VOL. IV. NO. xiY, S s For 



