12 O F T I L L A G E. Parti. 



Mr. Tull goes fo far as to infinuate, that dung gives plants poifon- 

 ous, or at leafl: hurtful qualities : but his arguments feem to want 

 weight. For example, when he fays that venomous creatures are 

 oftener found in dung than elfewhere, and mentions the toad as an 

 inllance of it; it may be affirmed that toads are not venomous : and 

 if they were, is it not well known that hemlock frequently grows in 

 gardens, clofe by a very wholefome plant ? Befides, there is great 

 reafon to think that a plant which by its nature is poifonous, would 

 be lefs fo when raifed in a well-dung'd ground, than if it had grown 

 in a poor dry foil ; by the fame rule that felery acquires a ftronger 

 and higher flavour, in a poor, than in a well-dung'd foil. 



3. Dung, which, according to Mr. Tull, a£ls by fermentation, 

 caufes indeed an internal divifion of the particles, which may be of 

 great ufe : but the plough not only divides the particles, but changes 

 their fituation, by turning the earth upfide down. The part which 

 was expofed to the influences of the air and dews, takes the place 

 of another part which is removed from underneath to the furface, 

 and the earth that is turned up is penetrated by the rain and dew, 

 and by the rays of the fun ; all which greatly 'conduce to render it 

 fertile. 



4. Dung harbours infedls, which afterwards feed upon the plants 

 and fpoil them. It is well known, that when lands are dunged, in 

 which trees are planted, their roots are in great danger of being 

 hurt by infe<fts : and this is one of the chief reafons why fiorifls 

 banifli dung from their gardens.* 



r. It is true that dung is equally beneficial to light and to ftifF 

 o-rounds ; but the fame may be laid of tillage ; and the following is 

 the manner in which Mr. Tull fays this laft adls upon both thofe 

 kinds of land. 



Too ftrong land is that of which the parts are fo clofe, that roots 

 cannot penetrate them without great difiiculty. Now, if roots can- 

 not extend themfelves freely in the earth, they cannot draw from 

 it the food of plants, which, for want of that food, will droop and 



languifh. 



* M. Duhamel invites all lovers of agriculture to try the following method, which 

 he thinks may be attended with fuccefs. 



Let a referve of quick-lime be kept in a very dry place. 



When you bes,in to make your dujighill, fprinkle each layer of dung wiih quick- 

 lime till the whole is finiftied. This kills moft infcfts, and perhaps enriches the 

 dung, and lenders it more ferviceable. This lime will likewife deftroy the feeds 

 of w'eeds which generally are in dung, and which hurt the wheat when they ftioot 

 up. 



