369 



eye in the plants. And further I am of 

 opinion, from some observations I have 

 made, that it is of much more advantage 

 applied after a shower of rain, or when the 

 dew is on the ground, than at any other 

 time. But in Judge Peters's book on plaster, 

 it is something to the same effect: If a plant 

 of any kind was put in plaster, it would 

 not grow any more than it would in a 

 lime-heap. It does not seem, from all the 

 use made of it in America, to have been of 

 any utility, except in clover. The turnips 

 are my own experiment only. I tried it 

 on cabbage plants: in the seedling-bed they 

 were very fine : but in the spring I put it 

 to the cabbages ; and I could not discern 

 any difference made, although the land was 

 very highly manured indeed ; as, by way 

 of experiment, I, in the month of October, 

 ,set out in the field four thousand five hun- 

 dred cabbage-plants, of the early York and 

 early May kinds, for the purpose of trying 

 the effects of rich compost during such in- 

 clement weather and in such poor soil, and 

 B 15 



