458 



TOP 



TOP 



in any place that is north of the 

 forty second degree of latitude. 

 In cold countries, the leaves are apt 

 to be very thin, and so weak that 

 they will scarcely hold together 

 in the curing ; and it is far from 

 being so well flavoured as that 

 which comes from the southern 

 states ; from whence I wish it may 

 be always imported. For I sup- 

 pose we ought in general to culti- 

 vate only those vegetables, to 

 which our climate is most suitable. 



TOP DRESSING. Dung or 

 other manures, spread over the 

 surface of the ground, for the nour- 

 ishing of plants that are growing in 

 it. These manures should be well 

 pulverised, that they may be spread 

 evenly. 



Top dressings are used with ad- 

 vantage, for grain, grass, flax, &:c. 

 The timing them judiciously is a 

 matter of no small importance. 

 They should not be too freely given 

 to winter grain in autumn, lest they 

 unseasonably produce a luxuriant 

 growth, at a time when it exposes 

 the tender plants to be the more 

 injured by frost. The right time 

 to give this culture to grain, is just 

 at the season when it is earing; for 

 then is the time when it seems to 

 require the greatest supply of nour- 

 ishment. 



If the application of top dressings 

 to mowing grounds were generally 

 practised in this country, and year- 

 ly repeated as it ought to be, in- 

 stead of the present general, or ra- 

 ther, universal neglect of it, it 

 would put a new face upon things. 

 A va>t plenty of hay, double crops, 

 two cuttings in a year, and much 

 increase of wealth to farmers, and 



the country in general, would soon 

 appear to be the happy consequen- 

 ces. 



The materials used for top dres- 

 sings are numerous, and various. 

 See the article Manure. 



There is scarcely any question, on 

 which farmers are more divided, 

 than as to the policy of applying 

 manure as a top dressing to grass 

 lands, in the spring or fall, 'i he 

 reasoning seems to be in favour of 

 spring dressing, and it is supported 

 by many excellent names. But, it 

 ought to be known, that intelligent 

 farmers, near the metropolis, most 

 generally dress their lands in au- 

 tumn. Besides, the reason stated 

 above, that grass lands are less in- 

 jured by carting over them in the 

 fall ; it may be added, that it is a 

 season of greater leisure, and al- 

 though it is confidently asserted, 

 that the manure is wasted by rains 

 and snows, yet much ought to be 

 allowed on the other side, for the 

 protection afforded by the top dres- 

 sing, to the tender roots of the 

 plants during winter, and ought we 

 not to add something for the low 

 temperature of the atmosphere in 

 winter, which prevents evapora- 

 tion ? Whatever principles of fer- 

 tility exist in manure, are in winter 

 carried down into the soil. We are 

 fully convinced, that a scorching 

 sun, and drying air, are more per- 

 nicious to manures, spread thinly 

 over the surface than any drench- 

 ingrains can be, unless on declivi- 

 ties, where top dressings are un- 

 questionably of less value than on 

 level grounds. The fact, that far- 

 mers who grow rich by supplying 

 the great towns with hay, generally 



