OF MANURE. 189 



never been limed ; but if the lime be impure, a greater pro- 

 portion will be requisite. Several intelligent farmers are of 

 opinion, that not less than 60 or 70 bolls of lime shells per 

 acre, should be laid on a strong clay soil, and that this 

 quantity, with judicious cropping, will be sufficient for a 

 lease of 1 9 or 21 years. 



The information transmitted to me by Mr Walker of 

 Mellendean upon this subject, is of peculiar importance, as 

 he has limed perhaps more land than any individual in the 

 whole island, and in the course of thirty years has tried va- 

 rious experiments in regard to the quantity that should be 

 applied per acre. On newly-broken-up land from old tur 

 he has laid on from 20 and 25 to 40 and 45 bolls of shells, 

 of 4 Winchester bushels each, per English acre. On light 

 and thin (outfield) soils, the crop on that part of the field 

 that was limed at the rate of 20 and 25 bolls per acre, was 

 as rough, and appeared equally good, with the crop on the 

 land that had received 40 bolls per acre ; but when it came 

 to be threshed out, the grain was found very inferior' in 

 quantity, and still more so in quality. Upon clay soils, the 

 effects of the lime, where a small quantity was laid, were 

 hardly discernable ; while that part of the field that recei- 

 ved 40 and 45 bolls, produced an abundant crop. Finding 

 the produce of the land that was limed with a small quanti- 

 ty so very inferior, he laid on, (when the land came to bo 

 re-fallowed), 20 or 25 bolls more, the effects of which were 

 never perceptible. He is therefore decidedly of opinion, 

 that every kind of soil should have a good dose at once, in 

 which case he considers no repetition to be necessary for a 

 long time after ; but if repeated at all, the second liming 

 should be considerably greater than the first, which seems 

 to be the general opinion of the Scotch farmers. As to re- 

 peated liming in small quantities, Mr Walker is convinced s 

 that whatever is laid out in that way, after the first dose, is 



