xiv Notices for a Young Farmer, 



count of the practice of the Swiss Farmers ; who soak their 

 dung in water, and apply it in a liquid state, to far greater 

 advantage than crude dung. 



The nature and qualities of soils, and the kinds and de* 

 scription of manures, have influence, no doubt, on opinions 

 and practice. Climate and seasons have also their operations 

 on manures. The most general opinions and practise, favour 

 the use of moderately rotted dung. 



VI. Break up deep, and he not afraid of turning up barren 

 soil ; when the nature of your ground admits of this opera- 

 tion • Shallow ploughing up the vegetable mould, deceptiously 

 serves a turn, when it is not exhausted ; and its exhaustion is 

 the certain consequence of this ill-judged tillage. But the 

 air contains the principal store of materials for the food of 

 plants ; and will impregnate the substratum, if exposed a due 

 length of time ; especially in winter, when it receives much, 

 and parts with little ; the heat of the sun^being then feeble, 

 and incapable of dispelling what the soil receives from the 

 air. Those who object to deep, much more to trench plough- 

 ing, want experience, sufficiently to test their benefits. They 

 have mismanaged experiments, or have been in too great 

 haste to crop their grounds. The substratum must be ex- 

 posed, tor a time necessary to receive the influences of the 

 atmosphere. Indian Corn, with lime, is by far the best crop, 

 after trenching, particularly : because it requires the soil to 

 be constantly stirred and exposed. True, there are some 

 soils, which neither deep nor trench ploughing will benefit ; 

 and every Farmer should accommodate his practice to the 

 nature and qualities of his soil. Over cropping and shallow 

 ploughing, with exhausting crops in succession, frequently 

 cause overwhelming growths of Sorrel, to infest ill managed 

 fields. Lime is the only remedy : and you will see in Lord 

 DundonahVs " Connexion," &c. the good effects of lime ; which 

 destroys the sorrel, and produces the sorreline acid ; highly 

 friendly to wholesome and profitable vegetation. Green sorrel 

 grows on fertile soils ; but the red sorrel is a certain mark 

 of sterility. 



Never sow a foul or weedy fallow, to save a ploughing ,* or 



