OF STRAW, ITS VALUE, AND USES. 42? 



strongest and most durable hitherto discovered. He calcu- 

 lates, that, on an average, there are about 200 Ib. weight 

 of such filaments on an acre, capable of being applied to 

 various useful purposes, where durability and strength, ra- 

 ther than fineness and delicacy, are required. 



It is suggested by Sir Humphry Davy, in his celebra- 

 ted Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry, recently publish- 

 ed, that though it is usual to carry straw, that can be 

 employed for no other purpose, to the dunghill, to ferment 

 and decompose ; yet that it is worth experiment to ascer- 

 tain, whether ij may not be more economically applied, 

 when chopped small by a proper machine,* and kept dry, 

 till it is ploughed in for the use of a crop. In this case, 

 though it will decompose much more slowly, and produce 

 less effect at first, yet its influence would be much more 

 lasting.^ 



The advantage to be derived from this suggestion, can 

 only be ascertained by experiment. It is certain, as Mr 

 Young maintains, tf That by fermentation, straw is redu- 

 ced into a gaseous state, or with moisture, into a fluid 

 state, and in either case is absorbed by the roots of plants ; 

 and that by fermentation, a dunghill may be turned and 

 mixed, (provided there be no earth in it), nntil it become 

 a very inconsiderable heap." But how it may operate as 

 manure, without fermentation, is a different question ; and 

 if the advantage is remote, farmers will probably prefer 

 immediate, to eventual profit. It would be the most likely 

 td answer with a potatoe crop, in drills ; for, as the straw 

 decayed, (if that were the case in one season), the pota- 



* This might easily be effected by machinery attached to the thresh- 

 ing-mill. 

 I See Lecture VI. p. 247. 



