36 NOTES. 



214 Magnesian limestones are generally coloured brown, or a pale yellow. 

 They are found in Yorkshire, (near Doncaster), in Somersetshire, and various 

 parts of England ; and near Belfast in Ireland. What a treasure for improving 

 the bogs of Ireland, for the application of this lime is probably the cheapest and 

 most effectual mode of improving peaty soils. See Sir Humphry Davy's Lec- 

 tures, p. 281 ; and Derbyshire Report, vol. ii. p. 409, &c. Magnesian lime- 

 stone re-absorbs carbonic acid gas much more slowly than other sorts of lime, 

 and magnesia, when deprived of its carbonic acid gas by burning, is directly in- 

 jurious to vegetation. Not only, therefore, does that species of limestone remain 

 longer in the state of quick lime, (in which state, it not only burns vegetable 

 matter, and destroys its texture, dissipating all but its more solid parts, without 

 the putrefactive process taking place), but it continues for a long time, to con- 

 tain a principle within it, injurious to the growth of the plants to which it is ap- 

 plied. 



215 Nine-tenths of the lime used in Ireland is burnt with peat. See Mr 

 Dutton's Letter, in the Farmer's Journal, Oct. 2. 182O. 



216 Slacked liire is merely a combination of lime, with one-third water. 

 Sir Humphry Davy's Lectures, p. 277. It has been remarked, that the whiter 

 the powder, the better is the lime in quality, for every thing that discolours it 

 is not lime. 



217 Husbandry of Scotland, vol. i. p. 212. Derbyshire Report, vol. ii. 

 p. 438 to 445. 



218 The grubber, or scarifier, would answer this purpose effectually. No 

 more should be spread at a time, than can be immediately mixed with the soil. 

 It should not be spread on a windy day, for servants cannot judge so well of its 

 equal distribution, nor perform it so well. But a gentle breeze is rather useful 

 than otherwise. 



219 Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. iii. p. 231. A pre- 

 vious application of two years, is in general considered to be sufficient. 



220 The late Mr Barclay of Ury, often gave from 500 to 600 bushels of cal- 

 cined lime per Scotch acre, or from 400 to 430 bushels per English acre ; but 

 when he gave such great quantities, he never limed a second time, except merely 

 to give a slight top-dressing, when grass-seeds were sown. 



221 A new mode of application has lately been thought of in Cumberland. 

 It is, after the first cutting of clover, to spread immediately on the ground, from 

 3O to 40 bushels of hot lime, per statute acre. This produces a great increase 

 from the second cutting, greatly improves the value of the next year's grazing, 

 and the succeeding crop of oats. Curwens Report, p. 24, and 42. 



222 Husbandry of Scotland, vol. i. p. 184; General Report of Scotland, 

 vol. ii. p. 586. 



223 Dr Fenwick of Durham. It is a short Essay, entitled, " Reflections 

 " on Calcareous Manures," which the Doctor read to the Literary and Philoso- 

 phical Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and which was printed at their request, 

 but has not been published. 



224 At Holkham, oyster shells are broken to pieces, either by passing them 

 through oil-cake crushers, or repeatedly drawing a heavy iron roller over them, 

 when spread upon a stone, or hard-burned brick- on-edge floor. A mill for 

 crushing bark would answer the same purpose. Anno 1816, 40 bushels of 

 this manure were drilled in the usual way, upon 27 inch ridges, slightly cover- 

 ed with earth, and the turnip-seed sown upon it. In the same field, turnips 

 were sown, on ridges of the same size, manured with farm-yard dung, at the 

 rate of 8 tons per acre. The turnips were a good crop on both pieces ; no dif- 

 ference perceptible. The succeeding crop of barley, and the crop of clover af- 

 terwards, to all appearance, were equally good on both. Powdered shell ma- 

 nure was likewise tried, anno 1816 and 1817, in competition with powdered 

 rape- cake, as a manure for wheat, partly drilled with the seed when sown, and 



