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ingenious and scientific nobleman, tlic Earl of Dundonald, 

 whose memory will also be long held in grateful remembrance 

 by his countrymen. This distinguished chemist was the 

 first writer, who, nearly half a century ago, pointed out the 

 means of rendering agriculture a new art, by the aid of 

 chemistry, in which he has been since followed by Kirwan, 

 by Sir H. Davy, and other ingenious authors. The general 

 error then and still committed, in the making up of hme 

 compost, is the use of the lime in far too great a proportion, 

 thereby reducing the peat to charcoal, and dissipating in a 

 gaseous state its most useful component parts. Thus, the 

 lime is rendered nearly effete and powerless, and brought 

 back to the state of mere challc, instead of forming such a 

 combination with the peat, and the gas generated in the 

 process, as, on being applied to the soil, should promote the 

 growth of plants. 



In the same way, a want of success not less remarkable 

 has been experienced, in preparing dung compost, according 

 to the fermenting process discovered by Lord Meadowbank. 

 This, I conceive, has proceeded chiefly from two causes ; 

 first, the want of skill in providing peat of a proper quality, 

 and in a state fitted to undergo the fermenting process with 

 effect ; and secondly, in applying the dung in too exhausted 

 a condition ; both of which tend to prevent the antiseptic 

 quahties of the moss from being counteracted, and the peat 

 from being rendered soluble. For the methods, which have 

 been suggested by experience, for the improvement of both 

 of these valuable composts, the agricultural reader, as well 

 as the planter, is referred to the notes, which may probably 

 be found interesting to both.* 



There is one circumstance, which deserves particular at- 

 tention, in preparing this valuable compost. It is observable 

 in the southern, as well as in the northern division of the 



* Note III. 

 22 



