OF THE COUNTY OF DOWN. 181 



favour of doing it thus ; the earth has but once to be 

 carried, and the expenfe of turning the compoft heaps 

 is entirely faved; the lime, alfo, when well covered, 

 penetrates immediately into the ground; when laid on 

 by itfelf it requires a year at lead. As lime is the prin- 

 cipal manure of this county, I have been very particular 

 in defcribing the different modes of application, and 

 their fuccefs. Great exertions are made to procure this 

 valuable article, but the idea of making it merely fub- 

 fervient to the production of fucceffive crops of grain, 

 without any reft, has prevented it from being as highly 

 beneficial as it might have been under a better fyftem; 

 under the prefent one land is often left in a worfe ftate 

 than it came from the hands of nature, for there is no 

 way fo effectual to deftroy the valuable properties of 

 the foil, as high liming and imperfect culture ; and, al- 

 though in fome inftances, one of which I have men- 

 tioned, the mifchief has not been done, the miferable 

 -appearance of the fields, after fix or feven fucceffive 

 crops, plainly proves the truth of my aflertion. We - 

 muft allow, that to have five or fix crops of grain, 

 without any other labour than an annual ploughing and 

 harrowing, is a great temptation ; but a farmer of all 

 profeffions ought to look forward and confider, that, 

 let his land produce or not, he muft pay his rent; that, 

 if he ruins it in the beginning, in the end it will ruin 

 him, or at leaft leave him in a fituation much worfe 

 than with more judicious management he might have 



been. 



