"on 
76 On Plaister of Paris. 
not worse; as it leaves the ground full of weeds, unless 
it be sufficiently rotted, or used in compost.(c) 
Query. 7. To what products can it be most og 
bly applied ?—grain and what kinds? 
(c) It isas much on account of its containing the seeds of 
weeds, as its supposed inferiority in other respects, that the 
Chinese neglect the dung 0! horses and cattle, as we do hu- 
man excrements. But they provide every where, ‘ covered 
reservoirs for storing up what is dropped, in most countries, 
uselessly in the privies and streets,” Jngenhausz is apparen- 
tly extravagant in his preference of human alvine and urinous 
ejections, to those o: horses and cattle. He goes so far as to 
suppose, that these ejections from an individual, will manure 
as much ground as would produce more vegetables than he 
could consume; and by selling the superfluous portion, he 
might purchase enough of other food, to render the vegetables 
palatable. However improbable this may appear, there may 
possibly be more solidity in the observation, than our inexpe- 
rience, and perhaps ideas of delicacy will permit us to believe. 
The Chinese have as much knowledge of practical agricul- 
ture, as any people in the world. Their immense population 
compels them to concentrate their efforts to this point, so as to 
raise the most off the smallest possible portion of ground. 
Antipathy, and habits of using other manures, will prevent 
our following the Chinese, in their practice of manuring. 
Lime, burnt clay, calcareous earths of all kinds, and even com- 
mon earth, deprive the most putrid and nauseous substances 
of thepe disagreeable qualities, and assist them in promoting 
sweet atid wholesome vegetation. Night soil is so strong, that 
a fith part is a sufficient proportion for a compost; and it 
should never be used by itself. Two loads, mixed with ten 
of earth, and one of lime, are sufficient ior an acre. 
