MANURES. 367 



ered, at the rate of nearly three to one. The green grass from 

 the part untouched, cut at the end of the month, weighed two 

 thousand two hundred and seven pounds per acre ; that of the 

 portion placed under the operation weighed five thousand eight 

 hundred and seventy pounds per acre. The grass was weighed 

 as it came from the scythe. During this period, there was not 

 a drop of rain ; and guano, nitrate of soda, lime, shell-sand, 

 wood-ashes, and other manures, tried against it, possibly from the 

 drought, produced, during this period, no very visible action. In 

 this experiment, the fibrous covering was laid on the 15th of 

 April, and the grass cut and weighed the 30th of May. Half of 

 a hay-field was covered on the 2d of May ; and a month after, I 

 had cut and weighed, respectively, the portions of the field cov 

 ered and uncovered, and found that the one weighed three thou 

 sand four hundred and sixty pounds per acre, whilst the other 

 weighed only nine hundred and seventy pounds. As to the 

 length of the grasses in the respective pieces, the trefoil in one 

 case measured three and one half inches, whilst in the other it 

 only measured an inch j clover six inches, in the other one and 

 one half.&quot; He found, on making the two samples of grass into 

 hay, that the proportionate loss of weight was the same in each 

 parcel, and the difference would be, that in the one case he 

 should get three tons to an acre, and in the other only one. 

 Another most important circumstance in the case was, that when 

 ic a certain quantity of stall dung would double the quantity of 

 grass in a given time, when laid on in the usual way, that it 

 would increase it six times, when properly treated with fibrous 

 covering.&quot; 



These are certainly very curious experiments, and they have 

 been repeated successfully by various individuals. &quot; For an in 

 dividual to satisfy himself, a bundle of straw, say forty pounds, 

 strewed lightly over two or three roods of growing grass, would 

 in a very short time show the effect, when raked off. In the 

 experiments made, all gave uniform results, when conducted 

 fairly. Some used too much covering, but generally too little. 

 All these experiments showed that the action was general ; that 

 the difference in increase of growth, in a given time, was in pro 

 portion to the natural fertility of the soil.&quot; 



Ci The practical instructions for the use of fibrous covering are 

 few, but essential to profitable results. Straw of wheat, oats, or 



