On Manures. 221 



ings than town dung, on account of the carriage ( a48 ). In- 

 deed the dust of limestone roads, if collected, and kept dry 

 until spread on the land, would answer as well, if not per- 

 haps better, than mere lime, owing to the dung of horses, 

 &c. being mixed with it (* 49 ). 



4. Vegetable Manures. 



Manures from the vegetable kingdom, comprehend the 

 following articles : Sea-weeds ; Fresh-water weeds ; Com- 

 mon weeds ; Malt-dust ; Rape-cake ; Tanners' bark ; 

 Vegetables ploughed in ; Vegetables that have passed 

 through fire ; and, Dry vegetable substances. 



1. Sea-weeds In many districts, these are a most impor- 

 tant source of fertility, and when used with judgment, never 

 fail to enrich the coast lands of every district where they can 

 be had, whether cut from the rocks, or thrown ashore. 

 Their effects, however, are by no means so lasting as those 

 of farm-yard dung, enduring only for one or two crops. 



Sea- weed, when applied to arable land, ought to be spread 

 and ploughed as soon as possible after it is secured. If that 

 cannot be accomplished, from the season of the year or 

 otherwise, it should never be laid up in heaps to ferment, 

 but should be made into a compost with earth, with long 

 dung, and with a moderate quantity of lime ( as ). Tangle, 

 or drifted sea-ware, if spread on old grazing pastures, not 

 only improves the quantity, but the quality of the herbage ; 

 hence both cattle and sheep eat it with avidity, thrive well, 

 and are made sooner fat. It is not so well calculated as 

 dung for oats, or for a crop of turnips ; but it answers pe- 

 culiarly well for barley. If applied to the tender blades of 

 young clovers after harvest, it will destroy the plant ( z51 ). It 

 may be advantageously mixed with farm-yard dung, for the 

 purpose of rotting the dry parts of its contents. When se- 

 parately applied, it requires one-third more by weight per 

 acre, than farm-yard dung. 



Sea-ware has several advantages above other sorts of ma- 

 nure. It is not filled with seeds of weeds ; it readily de- 

 composes; does not require a long process of preparation ; 

 and is directly useful to the plants. With its aid, the farmer 

 is enabled to take more frequently crops of grain, or green 

 fallow crops, and thus increases his farm-yard manure. Its 

 good effects cannot be disputed, and nothing can be objected 



p 2 



