174 A TREATISE ON THE CONNECTION OF 



By the dung, and stiJl more so by the urine of cattle, 

 lanxis of this nature, after having been depastured 

 for a certain number of years, w'\\\ be found to have 

 received considerable benefit, and to have become more 

 fitted for the producftion of crops of grain. This is prin- 

 ripally to be ascribed to the effe6t which the volatile 

 alkali of the urine has, in dissolving a proportion of the 

 superabundant oxygenated inert vegetable matter con- 

 Ltained in the soil. 



It has been stated in the preceding part of this Work, 

 that stable-yard dung, by long keeping and exposure to 

 air, loses its saline fertilizing powers, and becomes in all 

 respedls similarto peat. The same efFe(St, in part, will take 

 place on stable-yard dung when applied to ground. Un- 

 der the article of Putrefadion it has been observed, that 

 -the soluble and saline part of the dung bears but a small 

 proportion to what is insoluble. By the repeated dung- 

 ings, during so many centuries, there has been accumu- 

 lated in the infield lands of Scotland too large' a propor- 

 tion of vegetable matter. This surplus, however, may, 

 by the judicious application of lime, alkalis, and other 

 saline substances, be dissolved, and thus made to pro- 

 duce 



