IGO A PRACTICAL TREATISE 



sowing it along with the seed. It is, however, much to be 

 regretted that these implements cannot be constructed with 

 more simplicity, for their cost is so considerable, that unless a 

 man has a very large quantity of land to drill, their purchase 

 would be imprudent, and the hire is generally unreasonably 

 expensive. 



Regarding the quantity of dust, the powdered bones are 

 dearer than those which are merely broken small, and al- 

 though said to more forcing to the first crop, on account of 

 their being, when in the state of powder, more intimately 

 blended with the soil, and more directly applied to the seed, 

 yet they are not found so durable as when they are laid on in 

 pieces; but it is also true that, in the former case, they are not 

 laid on so largely, for the amount depends entirely on the size 

 of the bones. They have been applied, in the rough state, to 

 the extent of 100 bushels per acre; but the average quantity, 

 of all sizes, is stated, in the Doncaster Report, to be 39 

 bushels. When the smaller bones are distinguished from the 

 larger, they, however, seldom appear to exceed 30 bushels per 

 acre, and in many cases do not arrive at 20 : perhaps it may 

 be assumed, as the most general practice, that half-inch bones 

 are employed at the rate of from 25 to 30, and dust at 20 

 bushels per acre ; but a distinction should be also drawn be- 

 tween the quantity of those which are applied after being 

 manufactured, and those which are laid on in a raw state. 



The size of the pieces to which the bones should be broken 

 is also an object of some importance, as the smaller they are 

 the more prompt will be their effect: on which the following 

 observation has been made by one of the correspondents of the 

 Doncaster Association : — "That if he meant to till for early- 

 profit, and if he wished to keep his land in good heart, he 

 would use half-inch bones; and, in breaking these, he should 

 prefer some remaining considerably larger:" the reason 

 assigned for which is, — "that by using bones of a large size, 

 with dust in them, there must be sufficient of the small par- 

 ticles of the dust to set the turnip-crop forward, and sufficient 

 of tiie large particles of the bone left to maintain the land in 

 good condition for the last crop." 



Respectiuir their durability, it has been affirmed, that the 

 effect will not be increased if they be laid on to great amount; 

 for the same produce has been obtained from the comparative 

 application of 50 and 100 bushels; and an experiment has 

 been tried by varying the quantity on different ridges of a 



