18S OF MANURE. 



2. It is astonishing the distance from which lime is car- 

 ried in some parts of Scotland. Mr Blackie of Holydean, 

 in Roxburghshire, drives it twenty-two miles, and the car- 

 riage, when hired, is 7s. 6d. per boll of shells. In the parish 

 of Moffat, where of late considerable improvements have 

 been carried on, and corn, turnips, and clover, raised in 

 great perfection, 1000 feet above the level of the sea, the 

 lime is carried from Douglas, at twenty-seven and thirty 

 miles distance. It is sometimes carried on the borders, but 

 in no great quantity, about thirty, or even thirty-two miles;* 

 and in Aberdeenshire, it is driven that distance inland, after 

 being imported from Sunderland. 



3. The quantity used varies much. It is evident that 

 strong deep soils require a greater quantity than those 

 which are light and shallow. Baron Hepburn is of opi- 

 nion, that it should be applied frequently, and in small 

 quantities at a time, especially on gravelly-bottomed loams, 

 which are apt to become too open and pliable by an over 

 dose of lime : by following this practice, he finds his crops 

 wonderfully improved, both in regard to quantity and qua- 

 lity. Mr Robertson of Ladykirk states, that he has never 

 seen lime used in too great a quantity, if the land is judici- 

 ously cropped ; if otherwise, it will ultimately hurt the soil. 

 He has laid on no less a quantity than 100 bolls of shells, 

 4 Winchester bushels each, per English acre, and frequent- 

 ly with much success. On dry fresh land a less quantity 

 will do. Mr Blackie of Holydean considers 16 bolls of 

 shells, on such land, a sufficient dressing. Dr Coventry is 

 of opinion, that in general, about 6 tons of unslacked or 

 newly-burnt lime, of ninety or ninety-five per cent, of puri- 

 ty, may be sufficient for the statute acre of land that has 



* Communication from Mr Walker of Mellendean. 



