210 On Manures. 



ration than any other dressing, but supplies a greater abun- 

 dance of food for plants. Three or four cart-loads are suf- 

 ficient to dress an acre for the first time, and afterwards 

 two loads per acre would keep it perpetually in heart ( I9 ). 

 It may be spread with peculiar advantage on gra'ss lands, 

 after the hay is cleared away in October. Its disagreeable 

 smell may be destroyed, by mixing it with earth, sweepings 

 of the streets, or quick-lime. In China they make it into 

 cakes, with one-third of its weight of rich masl ( l91 ). 



This is the only species of manure, which, owing to its rich- 

 ness, and the variety of substances of which it consists, will 

 produce crops of corn almost without intermission ; but even 

 where it can be had in abundance, an occasional intermission, 

 and the introduction of crops of grass or roots, are advisable. 



5. Urine. Every sort of urine contains the essential ele- 

 ments of vegetables in a state of solution ( 19Z ). That of a 

 horse, being so much lighter, and less bulky, would be more 

 valuable than its dung, were both to be be conveyed to any great 

 distance. The urine of six cows or horses, made in one year, 

 will enrich a quantity of earth, sufficient to top-dress one 

 English acre of grass land ; and as it would require three 

 pounds worth of dung to perform the same operation, the 

 urine of a cow or horse is worth about 8s. 6d. per annum, 

 after allowing 8s. per acre, as the expense of preparing the 

 compost. Urine is much improved by powdered rape-cakes 

 thrown into the cisterns where it is kept. The advantages of 

 irrigating grass lands with cow urine, almost exceed belief. 

 Mr Harley of Glasgow, (who kept a large dairy in that town), 

 by using it, cut some small fields of grass five or six times in a 

 year, and the average of each cutting was fifteen inches in 

 length ( I93 ). As this article is of a scorching quality, in 

 seasons of great heat or drought, it is unsafe to apply it to 

 growing crops. Hence it is unadvisable to use it, except to 

 pasture, after the month of April or May, unless diluted. It 

 is particularly useful in spring, when the application of liquid 

 manure, gives a new impetus to the plant, and makes it grow 

 more vigorously ( I94 ). Newly planted cabbages are forced 

 by this manure in a most remarkable manner ( I95 ). This 

 valuable production, is too often suffered to flow away, with- 

 out any attempt to collect it, either for throwing it over the 

 dunghills, or for the purposes of irrigation ( I96 ) 



6. Land Animal Substances These form a numerous and 



valuable class of manures. In general, they require to be 

 blended with earthy substances, that a too rapid decomposi- 

 tion may be prevented ( I97 ). 



