C 184 j 



lime, and dung, thus managed, conflitute an undlu- 

 ous faponaneous mafs of great fertility, and perhaps 

 this is the moft beneficial method of manuring with 

 lime of any in ufe; for at the fame time that it 

 promotes the growth of the crop, it meliorates and 

 improves the foil; whereas, in the common way of 

 ufing it, it is thought by moft, that though it may 

 invigorate for a crop or two, yet it infallibly impo- 

 veriflies the land. It is true, however, that there is 

 no article in the whole art of hufbandry, concerning 

 which even pra(51:ical men are more divided, than 

 about lime. Some declare they have expended 

 large fums of money in theufe of it, without deri- 

 ving the leaft benefit from it; with others, it is the 

 fine qua non of vegetation ; without it, they think 

 they had better not fow their land ; indeed, the 

 pradlice fo far prevails in fome counties, that the 

 tenant is tied down by an article in his leafe to lay 

 on a certain quantity every third or fourth crop, 

 from fixty to one hundred and fixty bufliels an acre. 

 It is not difficult to account for this feeming irre- 

 concileable difference of opinions, but it would 

 require more room and time than can be allowed at 

 prefent. I will only add, that a comport formed as 

 above, would make an excellent top-drcffing to be 

 ufed in the fpring, and if not wanted for the pur- 

 pofes firft mentioned, would be very ufeful for the 

 laft. But from this long digreflion, let us return 

 to our fubjed. 



We 



