476 AFFECTED liY THE I^RPOSE IT IS TO SERVE. 



yard ; — and, therefore, that into such soils it should be ploughed m 

 the compact state (short dung)^ and as short a time as possible be- 

 fore the sowing of the crop which it is intended to benefit. 



4°. But Upon loamy and clay soils the contrary practice is recom- 

 mended. Such soils will not be injured, they may even be benefitted 

 by the opening tendency of the unfermented straw, while at the same 

 time the products of its decomposition will be more completely re- 

 tained — the land consequently more enriched, and the future crops 

 more improved by it. On such soils, the recent dung ploughed in, in 

 the autumn, has been found greatly more influential upon the crops 

 of corn which followed it, either in winter or in spring, than a propor- 

 tional quantity of well fermented manure. By such treatment, in- 

 deed, the whole surface soil is converted into a layer of compost, in 

 which a slow fermentation proceeds, and which reaches its most fer- 

 tilizing condition when the early spring causes the young corn to seek 

 for larger supplies of food. 



"5^. But the nature of the crop he is about to raise will also influ- 

 ence the skilful farmer in his application of long or short dung to his 

 land. If the crop is one which quickly springs up, runs through a 

 short life, and attains an early maturity, he will apply his manure in 

 such an advanced state of fermentation as may enable it immediately 

 to benefit the rapidly growing plant. In this case, also, it may be 

 better to lose a portion by fermenting it in the farm-yard, than, by ap- 



E lying his manure fresh, to allow his crop to reach nearly to maturity 

 efore any benefit begins to be derived from it. 

 6°. So also the purpose for which he applies his manure will regu- 

 late his procedure. In manuring his turnips the farmer has two dis- 

 tinct objects in view. He wishes, first, to force the young plants for- 

 ward so rapidly that they may get into the second leaf soon enough 

 to preserve them from the ravages of the fly — and afterwards to fur- 

 nish them with such supplies of food as shall keep them growing till 

 they have attained the most profitable size. For the former purpose 

 fermented manure appears to be almost indispensable — if that of the 

 farm-yard is employed at all — for the latter, manure, in the act of slow 

 and prolonged decomposition, is the most suitable and expedient. 



It is because bone-dust is admirably adapted for both purposes, that 

 it has become so favourite a manure in many districts for the turnip 

 crop. The gelatine of the outer portion of the bones soon heats, fer- 

 ments, and gives off those substances by which the young plant is 

 benefitted — while the gelatine in the interior of the bone decays, lit- 

 tle by little, and during the entire season continues to feed the ma- 

 turing bulb. Rape-dust, when drilled in, acts in a similar manner, if 

 the soil be sufiiciently moist. It may be doubted, however, whether 

 its effects are so permanent as those of bones. 



The considerations I have now presented will satisfy you that the 

 disputes which have prevailed in regard to the use of long and short 

 dung have arisen from not keeping sufficiently distinct the two ques- 

 tions — what is theoretically the best form in which farm-yard dung 

 can be applied in general 7 — and what is theoretically and practical- 

 ly the best form in which it can be applied to this or to that crop, or 

 for this or for that special object ? 



