ON MANURES. 37 



turnips, in like mannner as for another of potatoes,— for heavy 

 clay equally as for a light sandy loam, or to draw no distinction 

 between the time in which it is to be laid upon the land, — • 

 rather affords evidence of theoretic generalization than of 

 sound conclusions, drawn from a multiciplity of well-supported 

 experiments, and established by practical effect.* 



There are perhaps few agricultural subjects on which 

 theory and practice are so much at variance as in the manage- 

 ment and application of putrescent manure. There is hardly 

 a farmer who will not admit that a crop of turnips may be 

 altogether risked if short muck be not employed ; and though 

 some of them are often under the necessity of applying a 

 portion of long-dung, perhaps to the same field on which the 

 former has been laid, yet the very drill on which the two 

 kinds meet may in general be distinctly pointed out, while 

 potatoes, on the contrary, are almost invariably planted on 

 fresh farm-yard manure : though neither of these instances 

 prove either that fresh dung gains any fertilizing power by 

 fermentation, or that short muck loses it ; for these facts apply 

 only to the mechanical action of the manures, and to the 

 natural economy of the plants. It is also generally admitted 

 that long-dung is more suitable to clay lands than to liglit 

 soils, which are rendered too porous by its application ; and, ui 

 like manner, fresh manure is objected to for all spring crops, 

 because it is found to keep the land in too open a state in dry 

 weather, and liable to be burnt up in the summer. 



Sir Humphry, however, adds — ' that the dry straw of wheat, 

 oats, barley, beans and peas, and spoiled hay, or any other 

 similar kind of dry vegetable matter, is, in all cases, useful 

 manure. In general, such substances are made to ferment 

 before they are employed, though it may be doubted whether 

 the practice should be indiscriminately adopted.' 



On which it may be observed that although in anotlier 

 passage he admits ' that a great objection against slightly 

 fermenting dung is, that weeds spring up more luxuriantly 

 where it is applied,' — which forms in itself a strong impedi- 

 ment ; yet that is not the only fault to which it is exposed — 

 for it also occasions foul husbandry. It is scarcely possible in 



* On this it has been observed, that, in the instance of turnips. Sir Hum- 

 phry only meant to say, 'that tlie manure should be applied lovg before de- 

 composition had arrived at its ultimate results ;' but this does not weaken 

 the general force of our remark, which refers to the indiscriminate use of 

 long dung. 



