Culture of spring meat 195 



The pigeons' dung was from my own dovecot, but if it had been purchased it 

 would have cost at the rate often shillings per quarter. 



For the soot I paid three shillings per quarter, at Nottingham, a distance of 

 upwards of seven miles from hence. The expence, therefore, of carriage and 

 spreading, 8cc. greatly enhances the charge of this article. 



No. 1 and No. 2 were laid on with such apportionment as to bring the whole 

 expence of each to between twenty and thirty shillings per acre. 



No, 3 and No. 4 were laid on discretionarily. 



The Result of Experiment I. 



The crop throughout was slender, both in the autumnal and spring sown. Indeed 



I purposely maoe choice of this thin and weak soil, supposing from thence that the 



effect of the top-dressings would appear the more distinguishable. 



Qrs. Bus. 

 When threshed, the division of autumnal sown lammas wheat did not 



yield a produce per acre of more than - - - - * 5 



The spring wheat (where not any top-dressings were applied} only 2 if 



Difference in favour of lammas wheat - - - O 3"» 



Of the Top-dressings. 

 (No. 1.) The dove manure was somewhat the best.* 



and in ditch bottoms, near the fences. When the flock is numerous, large quantities of their 

 dung may from time to time be collected. 



When scraped up, the leaves of trees, rotten wood, and even a part of the top soil which may 

 have been trodden up, may likewise be added thereto. The latter, by having imbibed the urine 

 of the sheep, may be considered as a proper ingredient. 



When the hot season is over, the whole should be brought into an heap. In the winter let the 

 heap be turned over, which by breaking and mixing will cause it to meliorate, and by the spring 

 it will become a rich and uniform compost. 



• Pigeons dung, after having undergone a fermentation, may be considered as one of the most 

 powerful of manures, and also as one of the most eligible for a top-dressing. 



Of this powerful manure, the smallness of the quantity requisite for a top dressing, renders it 

 most exceedingly accommodate in the application. 



But pigeons dung is often injudiciously applied as a top dressing, in the state in which it comes 

 from the dove cot. 



It should be considered that manures acquire powers and strength by fermentation (somewhat 



