ON THE APPLICATION OF MANURES. 263 



but this alternative; either to deny the facts already 

 stated, which I myself have often witnessed, or to 

 explain them (if we must theorize on the subject) in 

 some such way as I have attempted to do. Permit 

 me farther to add, that on this subject nature her- 

 self seems to oflfer us a useful lesson, if we were 

 not too wise in our own conceits to be taught by 

 such an instructress ; for I know not a single ex- 

 ception to her practice of depositing on the earth's 

 surface all the putrescent substances, of every na- 

 ture and kind, which appear designed to preserve 

 her fecundity. 



In close connexion with this subject, there is one 

 other matter on which I will take the liberty to ex- 

 press an opinion : this is in regard to the best state 

 in which manure can be applied. So far as my own 

 experience enables me to judge* (an experience con- 

 firmed by that of many others, in whose practical 

 knowledge of the subject I have great confidence), I 

 believe that the fresher it is the better ; for in this 

 state so much less will suffice than in a more ad- 

 vanced stage of putrefaction, that time, labour, and 

 value are all saved in the application : while none 

 of the alleged " turning" ascribed to manure's being 

 " too hot" ever occurs if the quantity used be less- 

 ened in proportion to its- freshness. This injury to 

 plants, if I mistake not, is always caused by excess 

 in the quantity, and not by the quality of the manure 

 we apply to them, although the two things are often 

 confounded, and thereby contribute to the perpetua- 

 tion of error in regard to the nature and operation 

 of all fertilizing substances. There is not, I believe, 

 an agriculturist of any experience in our country 

 who has not had frequent opportunities of witness- 

 ing numerous facts to prove the correctness of these 

 opinions. But, as I before remarked, we are all 

 vastly fonder of our own fancies than of facts in 

 opposition to them, and, consequently, pass by all 

 such without notice ; or, when too strong and ob- 



