( U5 ) 



afliiip upon old chalked ground, rather than to attempt a- 

 renovation of the land by a new chalking. 



The good efFe£ls of what the farmers generally term a 

 frefh tickling with chalk, is certainly to be afcribed to its 

 mechanical operation in the firft place, but more generalljr 

 to the richnefs and quantity of vegetable food, contained 

 in the virgin mould, and with which the chalk is always 

 mixed. 



The application of manure upon the furface, or what 1$ 

 generally called top drelling, ought chiefly to be regulated 

 by the following confiderations : 

 ill. Whether the foil is of fuch a nature as to require any 



corredtion in its temperament, to render it more ot 



lefs tender, open, or friable. 

 2d. Whether the manure propofed to be applied, is capable 



of operating to that end. 

 3d. Whether fuch manure is incapable of affording nourifli- 



ment to vegetables, unlefs it is brought into clofe and 



immediate contaft, with fome other power or latent 



principle, containing vegetable food in the foil. 

 4th. Whether the plant propofed to be fed by fuch manure, 



draws its nourifliment principally from the ground. 



In the affirmative of all thefe cafes, it is plain the manure 

 (hould be covered or lightly ploughed under. 



But when the manure is of fuch a nature, as to apply 

 but lightly to fuch confiderations when it is capable 

 of being diflblved on the furface, and conveyed by water 

 downwards to the roots of the plants, or by converfioa 

 into vapour, to be abforbed by their ftems or leaves ; and that 

 the plant is equally prone to receive its nourifhment in both 

 ways ; the economy and efFedlve operation of top dreflings, 

 is unqueftionably the mod highly beneficial, and greatly ta 



'^ ^"^""^- T SECTION 



