ON MANURES. 67 



tern, with a valve to admit the contents of the first space into 

 the second, to be preserved there free from the later acquisi- 

 tion, ag-e adding- considerably to its efficacy. Tlie smallest of 

 tliem will hold 1000 barrels of 38 g-allons each, and in that 

 quantity from two to tour thousand rape-cakes, of 2 lbs. each, 

 will have been dissolved. 



' This species of manure is indeed relied on beyond any other 

 upon all the light soils throughout Flanders; and even upon 

 strong lands, originally so rich as to preclude the necessity of 

 manure, it is now coming into great esteem, being considered 

 applicable to most crops, and to all the varieties of soil' 



The crop upon which it is, however, chiefly bestowed, is 

 Jiax, in the following manner and proportion. 'The field, 

 after two or three ploughings and harrowings, is backed up in 

 the centre, and ploughed round in but one set, so as to leave 

 it without any furrow. A heavy roller is then drawn across 

 tlie ploughing by three horses, the manure is spread equally 

 over the entire surface, and, when well harrowed in by eight 

 or nine strokes of the harrow, the seed is sown, which is also 

 harrowed in by a light harrow, with wooden pins of less than 

 three inches, and the surface, to conclude the operation, is 

 again carefully rolled, so that nothing can exceed the smooth- 

 ness and cultivated appearance of fields thus accurately pre- 

 pared.' 



The manner in which the manure is applied is in one or the 

 other of the following modes, according to the distance. 

 * Wher« the cart plies, the manure is carried in a great sheet, 

 closed at the corners by running strings, and secured to the 

 four uprights of the cart: two men, standing one on each side, 

 scatter it with hollow shovels upon the ground. Or, where 

 barrels are made use of, each is carried by two men with poles, 

 and set down at equal distances across the field, in the line of 

 the rolling. There are two sets of vessels, which enable the 

 men who deposit the loaded ones to bring back others empty. 

 One man to each vessel, with a scoop, or rather a kind of 

 bowl, with a long handle, spreads the manure so as to cover a 

 certain space; and thus, by preserving the intervals correctly, 

 they can precisely guage the quantity for giving effect to any 

 extent of surface.' It must, however, be admitted that this 

 mode of application is somewhat clumsy, and that it might be 

 improved. For the flax crop they are profuse, for they usually 

 G 



