118 



DUN 



DUN 



one kind of soil, and thatof another 

 for another. And yet there is no 

 kind of soil that may not be enrich- 

 ed, in some degree, by any kind of 

 dung. 



The dung of oxen and cows is a 

 cool, mild and oily substance ;and 

 is, therefore, most suitable for 

 warm, sandy, and gravelly soils. It 

 tends to prevent the soiPs becom- 

 ing too dry, and keeps the plants 

 on it from being pinched for want 

 of moisture. 



The dung of sheep is more hot 

 and fiery than that of black cattle ; 

 it ferments quicker ; it is fitter, 

 therefore, for cold, heavy lands. — 

 Perhaps the best way of applying 

 the dung of sheep to land is by 

 folding, in countries especially 

 which are not greatly infested by 

 wolves. For in this method their 

 urine is all saved, as well as their 

 dung. But it ought to be turned 

 in with the plough as soon as pos- 

 sible, that the sun and air may not 

 deprive the land of it. 



In Flanders, it is the practice to 

 house their sheep at night, under 

 slight sheds, the ground being 

 spread with dry sand, about four 

 or five inches thick, laying on 

 a little more fresh every night. — 

 This is cleared out once a week, 

 and carried to a dung-hill, or ap- 

 plied to the soil. This mixture of 

 sand and hot dung, makes a very 

 excellent dressing for cold and stiff 

 land. For there is scarcely a rich- 

 er manure than the dung and urine 

 of sheep. M. Quintinie thinks it 

 the greatest promoter of fruitful- 

 ness, in all sorts of ground. This 

 method of folding sheep in a cov- 

 ered fold, and of mixing their dung 



with stiff earth or sand, according 

 to the nature of the soil it is intend- 

 ed for, is, also, with much reason, 

 recommended by Mr. Mortimer ; 

 who also says, " that he has known 

 vast crops of rye upon barren 

 lands, that have been old warrens, 

 well dimged by rabbits, and large 

 oak and ash trees upon the same, 

 though the soil was very shallow," 



Some have recommended the 

 reducing of sheep-dung to powder, 

 by pounding it with mallets, and 

 using it as a top dressing for grain, 

 perhaps half a dozen bushels on an 

 acre. But this is a tedious piece 

 of work, and of no lasting advan- 

 tage : Whereas too much can 

 hardly be said in praise of the Flan- 

 ders method of using it. A prodi- 

 gious quantity of good manure may 

 thus be obtained from a flock of 

 sheep, by housing them regularly 

 every night. 



If a light soil is intended to be 

 manured with this compost ; in- 

 stead of sand, clay, pond mud, or 

 the mud of fiats may be used, these 

 substances having been first mel- 

 lowed by the frosts of winter. The 

 dung of goats is supposed to be 

 nearly of the nature of sheep's 

 dung. 



Horse dung is a still hotter ma- 

 nure, as appears by its quick fer- 

 mentation in heaps, even in cool 

 weather. It is consequently fittest 

 for hot beds, when it is new, and 

 for nourishing those plants which 

 require the greatest degrees of 

 heat. The dung of horses that are 

 fed on grain, is a richer manure 

 than that of those fed only on grass 

 and hay. 



Great care should be taken that 



