^6 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



[No. s 



was brought forward during the sumnler months, 

 Was applied in the following spring. |)revious to 

 tlie seod-furrovv being given. At that time, it was 

 completely cfete, and would hardly go from the 

 shovel;=. About 45 Linlithgow barley bolls, or 

 280 Winchester bushels, as originally laiil down, 

 were applied to each Scottish statute acre. 



First year— The crop was oats, but little bene- 

 fit was discovered from the lime. 



Second year— The ground began to ferm^ent, 

 which showed, that the lime was in action. The 

 husbandry of flax being then in vogue, it was tried 

 upon this field ; and liie crop was excellent, both 

 in respect of flax and seed. 



Third year— It was sown witli gray pease afler 

 two furrows, which returned a great bulk of straw, 

 but not much grain. The clay part of the field 

 was now quite loose and free, while the moorish 

 soil seemed more compact and firm. 



Fourth year— Red wheat was sown, which 

 turned out a bulky crop, though the season was 

 adverse. The straw was hard, bright, reedy, and 

 of great length. Perhaps the greatest quantity 

 of dung applied at once, would not have produced 

 such a crop. 



Fifth year — The field was summer fallowed, 

 but no dung was applied. 



Here it may, with justice, be urged, that a great 

 error was committed in withholding dung at this 

 stage ; and it is acknowledged, that a dose ol" ma- 

 nure, i)ad circumstances permitted, could nothave 

 been more beneficially bestowed. In vindication 

 of the management practised, we may only state 

 that at the period in question, dung was a very 

 scarce article upon the larm ; and that many fields 

 would not crop at all, if it was withheld. The 

 one under consideration, appeared quil^e capable 

 of carrying several more crops, without assistance ; 

 consequently viewing the economy of tlie farm as a 

 whole, it was thought preferable to act in the man- 

 ner described. Many things are eligible in general 

 management, which cannot be indivuk'aily exe- 

 cuted ; and, as in public affairs, a partial evil must 

 often be conmntied^to promote the general good. 



Sixth year — The field was sown with oats, and 

 produced a heavy crop both of straw and corn. 

 Grass seeds were sown with the oats. 



Seventh year — The field was despastured with 

 cattle. The grass was but indifferent, which is a 

 common circumstance upon new limed land ; at 

 least where a heavy dose is given. This induced 

 us to plough it again, in the succeeding .spring. 



Eighthyear — Oats were sown, which yielded a 

 decent crop. 



Ninth year — The field was thoroughly summer- 

 fallowed and dunged, at the rate of sixteen double 

 loads to the Scottish acre. Wheat was sown. 



Tenth year — The crop of wheat was excellent, 

 being not only bulky, but of fine quality. 



Eleventh year — Oats and grass seeds were i^own, 

 and the ground surrendered to pasture. Since 

 that time, it has been a few years under corn : and 

 though the produce of these crops cannot, by any 

 exertion, be made to equal those which are enu- 

 merated ; yet the soil is evidently much improved 

 in every respect, when compared with its original 

 state, previous to the lime being applied. 



Field, No. 2. was a real nioorish soil, incum- 

 bent upon a clos'^ bottom, which had been over- 

 cropped afier lime, by a former tenant. 



We began with a summer-fallow, and applied 



a part of the same kind of lime which answered 

 so well upon field No. 1. 'Vhe lime, was laid on 

 dnrinir a liard black frost, at the rate of 35 bolls, 

 or 210 bushels per acre, and was then effete. 

 Oats were sown ; but the crop was a poor one, 

 and the after attempts were not more successful. 

 The stalk of the plant generally singed and de- 

 cayed, alter the strength of the seed pickle was 

 gone ; which is a sure proof of ground being worn 

 out with lime. This will always happen, though 

 in difftM-ent degrees, upon all such land, unless 

 a consi.lerable quantity of dung is bestowed ; 

 vvhicli unfortunately, in this instance, was not the 

 case. 



Field, No. 3. — The soil was of a moorish qual- 

 ity, but superior to that of No. 2. 



We fidlovved the field out of grass, and applied 

 lime hot from the kiln ; but the consequences were 

 much the same as mentioned in the preceding 

 instance. The oat-crop looked brisk at first, but 

 decayed daily, as the strength of the pickle was 

 exhausted. 'Tried dung with a second (iillow, 

 when the lime appeared to operate in a trifling de- 

 gree, but not to that extent as to repay the expense 

 incurred. 



Field, No. 4.— The soil was partly thin clay, 

 the remainder of a soft sandy nature, but all upon 

 a wet bottom. 



This field had lain, for a great many years, in 

 grass, and displayed no signs of having been pre- 

 viously limed. We applied the lime upon the 

 grass surface, when it was effete, and ploughed 

 for oats : the crop good. The lime did not come 

 into full action till the third year, when pease were 

 sown; and, for a number of years afterwards, 

 the different crops taken were not inlerior to those 

 of the be-t in the field. 



Field, No. 5.— The soil was chiefly a soft loam 

 upon a wet bottom ; which at any rale, had not 

 been limed since the ridges were levelled and 

 straightened. 



We summer-fallowed this field, afler a crop ol 

 wheat, and dunged it substantially, as it appeared 

 to be in an exhausted slate. We applied lime hot 

 fiom the kiln, at the rate of 40 bolls, or 240 bush- 

 els per acre, which operated immediately. It is 

 now sixteen years since the application; during 

 which lime, the field has been only three years iu 

 grass, and yet its eflijcts have not ceased. 



Field, No. 6— The soil was a strong loam in- 

 cumbent upon clay, which had carried five crops 

 ol iirain alier being ploughed from old grass. 



We summer-fallowed and dunged 'this field; 

 applied lime also, which was laid on hot from the 

 kiln, in the month of August, after six ploughings 

 were iriven. The quantity applied was forty bar- 

 ley bolls per acre ; which, in less than a month, 

 occasioned a fermentation of the soil, something 

 similar to what is produced by yeast upon unbaked 

 bread. In another respect, the improvement made 

 upon this field by lime was conspicuous. Barley 

 could, with dilFiculty, be raised belijre lime was 

 used ; whereas, afterwards, fine crops of this grain 

 were procured with facility. The ground was 

 likewise much easier ploughed and harrowed than 

 firmerly, which is always^ a sure token of an im- 

 provement being accomplished. 



Field, No. 7.— Tlie soil was generally a thin 

 sharp loam, a great part of it incundient upon a 

 close bottom. Ii iiad been three years in grass, 

 and was sown down in good order ; and, therefore, 



