144 On the Culture of Turnipa. 



fifty busliels to eight quarters of barley and oats per acre, al- 

 though at my entrance, when I took to the crops on the ground, 

 I had no more than ten bushels of wlieat and fifteen bushels of 

 barley per acre; and last year I cut thirty-two large waggon- 

 loads of clover, at two mowings, from seven acres. I am yet 

 unable to speak of more than twenty-five bushels of wheat* per 

 acre, because wheat being my last crop, after the application of my 

 dung, I have yet had but one crop of wheat from the land since 

 it has been cleaned and manured; and in 1S16, everybody 

 knows how the wheat crop failed: but in the present, or any 

 future year, I am ready to submit my whole rotation of crops on 

 the ground to the inspection of any person or persons the Board 

 of Agriculture may appoint to examine them; and as the land 

 lies within two miles of Clifton, this may be done with little 

 trouble and no expense, by any person resorting there, and after- 

 wards submit the produce of them, for quantity and quality, to 

 a comparison with any other crops of the same description, un- 

 der any other culture than what is similar to my own, in the 

 united kingdom. 



I caimot chemically explain to this Honourable Board, why 

 putrescent is superior to recent dung, in its use, any more than 

 I can explain, why flour and water, after being mixed, shall 

 by kneading, fermentation, and baking, become most nutritious, 

 powerful, and wholesome food for man, commonly called bread; 

 which it would not be, I presume, if consumed or applied to his 

 stomach in the simple shape of flour and water; — or why sweet- 

 wort shall, by being hopped, boiled, fermented, and stored, 

 become a stronger and better liquor than if drunk while it was a 

 simple infusion of malt and water; and I can only appeal to ex- 

 perience for results. But I have always considered those cidti- 

 vators who have used and rtcom mended recent dung, in prefe- 

 rence to putrescent, to be as erroneous and impolitic in their 

 judgements and practice, as those who should contend that sim- 

 ple flour and water, unfermented and unbaked, equals bread ; 

 or that an infusion of malt and water, unfermented and unstored, 

 equals old stingo. 



• Since this was written, my wheat of 1817 has been thrashed; the pro- 

 duce was exactly 38^ l>ushels per acre, weighing 58ilb. per bushel. 



XXIII. No- 



