OF MANURE. 205 



soil in such a way as to insure a good crop, and if the wea- 

 ther is not moist in the summer, it is probably one cause 

 of breeding the fly, so destructive to turnips. 



6. Composts. Some farmers think that composts of earth, 

 with either lime or dung, are too expensive; requiring much 

 time before they can be applied ; troublesome to carry and 

 to spread ; and where the price of labour is high, not 

 likely to pay. They prefer, therefore, putting on any good 

 earth by itself, that may be found about the farm. Such 

 compounds, however, when properly applied, have their 

 advantages; in particular, when they are laid on, 1. Muirish 

 lands, and, 2. Fallows, or grass fields. It is indeed com- 

 pletely ascertained, that lime will operate on muirish soils, 

 when mixed with earth as a compost, though it will have 

 but little effect, when applied by itself, operating at least 

 on the earth with which it is mixed. 



1. Mr Hope of Fen ton informs me, that he had on his 

 farm fifty-two acres of muir land. His system was, to 

 summer-fallow, to dress it as much as possible with a com- 

 pound, made with the scourings of ditches, high head- 

 ridges, and any spare earth he could find on other parts of 

 his farm ; by which means he has gone over nearly the 

 whole fifty-two acres twice during the last eight years, at 

 the rate of sixty double cart-loads each time per acre ; and 

 now, as the nature of the soil is much improved, he finds 

 that farm-yard dung can be applied with far greater advan- 

 tage, than before the application of the compound dung- 

 hills ; the soil having become much firmer, therefore stands 

 the summer's drought better, which frequently before burnt 

 up the crops, although well manured. After the summer- 

 fallow, he never sows wheat in winter, as he has repeatedly 

 experienced, that after this muirish kind of soil has been 

 wrought very fine in summer, from its being incumbent 



