INDEX. 323 



ICr" See Mr. Noland's account of improvements by means 

 of plaster and clover, in Loudon county, 2d. vol. 

 Memoirs: Inquiries on plaster, 121. 



The facts stated by Mr. N. do not rest on his sin- 

 gle authority ; which would, however, be sufficient. 

 They appear extraordinary to those who exclusively 

 rely on stable dung, and other costly manures ; but 

 are familiar to good farmers in Loudon, and some adja- 

 cent counties; who, first from necessity, and now from 

 conviction fixed by experience, generally adopt this 

 practice, and consider dung the least valuable ma- 

 nure. Lime they could have in plenty, if they did not 

 prefer the plaster, and its great auxiliary, clover, 

 ploughed in as green manure. Although the crops men- 

 tioned are not common, yet they have been produced. 

 Twenty to twenty-five bushels of wheat, and forty 

 bushels of corn, per acre, are average crops now, on 

 many farms, on lands which, before this style of hus- 

 bandry was introduced, would not yield one-third of 

 their present product. These are good average crops 

 in this country, wherein our grain ripens early, owing 

 to the plant growing more rapidly ; and, of course, 

 giving less time for multiplying and maturing its seeds. 

 The more feeble sun, and tardy progress of vegeta- 

 tion, in many parts of Europe, give advantages in quan- 

 tity of crop, but not in quantity or quality of flour, 

 in equal weights of wheat; there being more offal in 

 European grain. 



Dung, lime, &c. from habit, are primary desiderata 

 with us. But let us cast the film from our eyes ; and 

 if we will not entirely substitute burnt clay, mixing 

 soils, ploughing in green manures, rendered powerful 

 by plaster ; let us, at least; use tlfcm in aid of our fa- 

 vourites from old acquaintance ; and give them a fair 

 competition; to enable us to form a candid decision. Not 

 to throw the least reflection upon the common mode of 

 fertilizing by dung; it can truly be said, that its ex- 

 tent and duration are very limited ; whilst the materi- 

 als here mentioned, either as substitutes or auxiliaries, 

 are in boundless plenty, and readily obtained. R. P. 



