^86 Ohfervations en $>hell Marl as a Manure. Aug. 



Aclir.g Committee for the ye.ir 1803. — Robert Ccliiiig — John 

 Ralpli Fenwick — George Taylor — Charles Colling — Luke Sey- 

 mour. 



Day of Meeting fot the year iS-03. — Friday, April ift — "Wed- 

 jaefday, June ift — and Friday, November 4th. 



Robert "Waugh, Secretary. 

 RuJJjyfordy Fehruar\ 2. 1803. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER S MAGAZINE. 



Ohfervations on Shell Marl as a Manure. 



Sir, 



I am a conflant reader of your ufeful Magazine, the tendency 

 whereof, to promote the interefts of agriculture, is indifputable, 

 and therefore entitled to the fupport of agriculturifts. Agree- 

 able to this principle, I have, in compliance with the requeft 

 of your correfpondent from Ireland, vvlio a{l;s for information 

 concerning the ufe and application of marl, page 76th of this 

 Volume, fent you feme ohfervations on its application and good 

 effe£ls as a manure. They proceed from an experience of its 

 ufefulnefs for a number of years part, and you are at liberty to 

 infert them in the Farmer's Magazine. 



In the fouth of Scotland, where my farm is fitiiated, we are 

 at a great diftance from lime \ but, in a number of places, this 

 lofs is nearly compenfatcd by large quantities of fine fliell marl, 

 which is found in bogs and molTes •, and which I confider to be 

 a better manure than lime upon a dry warm foil; and, upon all 

 other foils, except a cold wet moorilh one, as nearly equal to 

 it. 



It is about twenty years fince I began to marl my farm, one 

 half of which confifis of a good dry foil, fit for the turnip 

 hufbandry ; the other half is mixed with clay, and unfit for 

 turnips and barley, but adapted for almoft any other crop. 

 Upon both thofe foils, the marl has had a very great efFedk, 

 Previous to its application, the crops, both of corn and grafs, 

 were but indifferent; but fince that period, my crops of corn 

 have been very good, fully one third more bolls per acre than 

 before: the grafs, both for h?.y and paflurage, has been ftill 

 more benefited by it. The quantity per Englilh acre that I ap- 

 plies ^^'"S from 30 to 35 fingle horfe cart loads on the dry foil, 

 and from 35 1040 c.iito on the clay foil ; which quantities, upon 

 tny farm, 1 have found fufficient. Upon very light foils, I 



would 



