128 ON THE FOOD OF PLANTS. 



" the system formerly adopted on his farm, of 

 " applying fermented dung : and he informs me, 

 " that his crops have been since as good as they 

 " ever were, and that his manure goes nearly 

 "" twice as far." 



This doctrine, in a general sense, and com- 

 pared with the old practice, agrees perfectly 

 with my observation and experience ; but Sir 

 Humphry does not state, whether the dung is 

 immediately ploughed in, by Mr. Coke, or suf- 

 fered to lie on the surface ; and the difference 

 between those two modes of application, will be 

 found to be very important, by every person who 

 will try them. 



I shall hereafter state my reasons why it is 

 improper, as a general practice, to manure lands 

 that are intended for immediate seed crops ; but 

 there may be cases where the state of the soil, 

 rom extreme poverty and other circumstances, 

 require it ; and in those cases, 1 am convinced 

 that the best time and manner of supplying dung 

 for such crops is, by spreading it over the sur- 

 face after the seeds are sown : at first sight, 

 and according to Sir Humphry's notions, this 

 may appear to be a wasteful practice ; but it is 

 far otherwise : for, as Sir Humphry says, " Or- 

 " ganic substances, as soon as they are deprived 



