68 A PRACTICAL TREATISE 



allow at the rate of 2480 gallons, beer measure, to the English 

 acre.* 



It thus appears that the dissolution of the oil-cake and z 

 sufficient time for the thorough putrefaction of the contents of 

 the cistern is the only preparation of this manure ; and it is 

 stated that 21 acres, upon a farm of 200, are most luxuriantly 

 manured for crops of flax and rape with the urine — exclusive 

 of the dung — of forty-four head of cattle.f It must, however, 

 be borne in mind that, although the Flemings have too just 

 a sense of the value of money to lay it out without the prospect 

 of a profitable return, yet the construction of such a building 

 as that described is calculated at about 120/. : in this country 

 it would probably cost considerably more; and, as it cannot be 

 removed, it would not suit the means of every farmer to be at 

 the expense, unless he can obtain the assistance of his land- 

 lord. 



In another account, drawn up in consequence of an investi- 

 gation upon a very extensive Flemish farm, by persons ap- 

 pointed to examine the plan, (which had been objected to by 

 several intelligent practical men,) it was declared, 'that owing 

 to the judicious concavity of the farm-yard, there was as much 

 moisture as was necessary to ferment the straw ; and it is now 

 ascertained that liquid manure is the most efficacious of any, 

 and produces a third more efi^ect than what is spread upon the 

 surface.' Hence, after the dung is fermented, they dilute it 

 in water, and the liquid alone is carried to the field, and scat- 

 tered over it. The earth immediately imbibes the liquid, 

 which soon reaches the roots of the plants, and causes a rapid 

 vegetation ; whereas it is a long time before dung, in a solid 

 state, fertilizes the soil. The straw that remains, after the 



♦The average product of crops upon a sandy loam, and the quantity of 

 manure for each per English acre, when applied to the land, is tlms stated .— 



Wheat, 22;^ bushels . . . Either dung or compost, 10^ tons. 



Rye, 28| do. .... Farm-yard manure, do. 



Oats, 51 5-6 do. . . . Do. do. 



Fla.x, 6i do. of seed and stem', f 666 cakes of rape, dissolved in 2i80 

 worth 17/. 16s. 9(/. . . | gallons of urine. 



Rape-seed, 32 2-5 do. . . 580 do. dissolved in 3200 gall's, of do. 



ri4 cart-loads of liquid manure and 



Beans, 28|^ do . . . . < the same quantity of stable-dung, 

 (. equal together to 21 tons. 



Potatoes, 8 5-6 tons ■ . Do. do. do. 



— Radcliff 's Report of the Agriculture of Eastern and Western Flanders, 

 pp. 90, 91. 



i .Sir John Sinclair, however, says, in his 'Hints on the Agricultural 

 State of the Netherlands,' that in another farm it required the urine of 68 

 cattle, of various ages, and 32 horses, to manure 40 acres. 



