30fl On the Nature and ^mliites of tie Au^. 



very fimple procefs of applying tobacco liquor, mixed with a fmall 

 quantity of fpirit of turpentine, or, what Is better, the fpirit of tar, the 

 fcab may be foon removed. Notwithflanding it is our opinion that in- 

 oculation (granting it to be a complete preventive) is, in a great mea- 

 fiire, unneceffary ; yet we will he liappy to hear frequently from Mr R. K., 

 who feems to poflefs talents for ingenious difqnilition. N. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THE FARMER*S MAGAZINE. 



Ofi the NcturCf huprovemefit^ and ^tal'ities of the Different Soils 

 proper for Rearing Sheep » 



LETTER I. 



Sir, 



It may perhaps not be improper to premife, that any know- 

 ledge I am in poflcflion of, was for the moft part acquired in a dif- 

 tri61: of tliC country where the produds of iheep are the prin- 

 cipal, I may fay the onlv fource, from which the farmer derives 

 his wealth ; of confequcnce, that the fa6ls I advance are de- 

 duced from experience, not from theoretical fyftems, and will 

 be found, for the mod part, applicable only to foils where 

 nature prefents an infuperable barrier againft agricultural im- 

 provements. 



In moft high-lying grounds, the foil may be clafled into two 

 diftintl kinds ; the one moft proper for rearing, and the other 

 for feeding. Of the kinds moft proper for rearing, I fhall men- 

 tion, firft, that varif^ty known by the name of heath ground. 



The plant, or ftirub, called Heath, is of a dark brown colour, 

 and puts out a great variety of branches from the fame root, 

 which form a tliick buftiy top. It begins to vegetate about the 

 latter end of Mw, or beginning of June, und in July is covered 

 with blofloms of a whitifh red colour, which emit a very fragrant 

 fmell. It continues to be of great ufe for food till April, when 

 more fucculent herbage begins to arife. 



A dry foil feems to be moft proper for invigorating this plant ; 

 as, there, it is always found in its moft perfeQ ftate. On a gra- 

 velly foil, and in a fouthcrly expofure, it will vegetate, nay, 

 flourifli, where fcarce any other herb will grow. On a gravel- 

 ly foil, where it thrives beft, it will fcarcely reach a ftate of n^a- 

 turity in thirty or forty years ; and I am perfuaded, that where 

 no untowardly circumftance accelerates its decay, it will retain 

 its vegetative powers for hundreds, perhaps thoufands of years. 

 The greateft height that ic attains to in the fouth of Scotland, 



is 



