176 On laying land down uith grafs -feeds , \^c. May 



after corn crops. If plenty of good earth can be fpared, from head- 

 lands or other wife, to mix with the lime, fo much the better ; 

 but in the lall cafe, the belt method is to give it two coats, be- 

 caufe when there is an equal quantity of lime and earth, and a 

 fulliciency laid on to make a proper liming, the grafs is buried 

 and never gets through ^ but, if one half is laid on, and time 

 given for the grafs to grow through, then the other half may be 

 laid on with fafety. Hard froft in winter, or after the land i* 

 dry in fpring, is the proper time for laying on faid compo't. If 

 it cannot be all done m one feafon, the bufmefs may be refumed 

 the next, or during as many as the land is in grafs. There are 

 fome other manures that maybe ufed for the above purpofe \ the 

 refufe of foap, or what the foap-boilers call fpent allies, is a mofl 

 excellent article ; lime rubifh from old buildmgs, &:c. A field 

 that has been managed after tlie above manner, and has been paf- 

 tured with Iheep, three or four years, may be termed in a high 

 Hate of cultivation, and will amply repay the polTeflbr for the 

 expence and trouble he has been at. 



But it is likely the above m.ode may be animadverted upon, 

 by your correfpondent, Epicurus, as tending to raife rank and 

 unwholefome graiVes, which may have a bad effed on mutton, 

 to the great lofs of the noble fciencc of good eating. In yout 

 laft number, this Gentleman quotes a paragraph from the 

 ncwfpapers, which, he fuppofes will hurt the feelings of Mr. 

 Bro'lie, being a man of rnodefty and good fenfe ; but he does 

 not fecm fo delicate with ano'-her rnodefi and JeitfihJe man, whofe 

 fpeculation on houfc Lamb did not fucceed. I cannot be very po- 

 fitive as to the date when Mr Brodie b«-\gan to feed early Lamby 

 (for I fhall not call it by any othei name,) but I think it is not 

 much lefs than twenty years fince he commenced dealing in that 

 article •, and it is well known, that he continued a great many 

 years to fell one hundred lambs at as many guineas ; but is he to 

 blaii:e, becaufe the public preferred his little lamb to that which 

 was larger? — A certain author wrote a book, but after much 

 trouble and expence in pubiiihing, he could find no body that 

 -vvould buy it ; the confequence was, he loft his temper and 

 condemned all the world for want of taile and difcernment, when 

 he faw people buy and read with avidity, publications that he 

 faid had no merit. Perhaps the lamb Epicurus mentions was too 

 fat — had too miich Oi the b''ubber he talks of. I have heard that 

 one of the then Bailies of Edinbuigh bought a quarter of it; 

 hut, it was fuch pure fat that it melted quite away, when it 

 ought to have roafted , and the fapient Magillrate came back on 

 the flcfher and threatened to profccute him for the lofs of his 



dinner. 



