200 TOP-DRESSING. 



over crops in full vegetation, or before the germina- 

 tion of the seed. This practice of top-dressing is 

 often profitable, and is proof enough of the little 

 inconvenience there is in exposing the dung to the 

 changes of vi^eather. It arose in the first instance, 

 perhaps, from necessity ; but it has been found so 

 useful that it has been much adopted. We have 

 applied it with decided advantage to crops after 

 hoeing — time being thus gained for the production 

 of manure. In the district of Marck, it is daily 

 gaining ground ; the dung is spread when the plant 

 has already appeared, and experience shows that 

 the passage of the carts over the land is not sensi- 

 bly injurious. It would be preferable, however, to 

 choose a time when the surface is hard from frost. 

 This method, according to Schwartz, is very useful 

 in Switzerland for hemp, and indeed for almost 

 every kind of crop. I regard it myself as a matter 

 of convenience ; but . Shaer assures us — and his 

 authority is of great weight — that he has too often 

 seen its good effects on leguminous crops not to be 

 convinced of the excellence of this method on loose 

 land in which grass has been sown late." 



Thus green manure should be applied on the 

 surface in the fall or winter. 



