ON MANURES. I73 



If laid for some time upon a damp clay floor, from which they 

 attract moisture, this operation will, however, be rendered 

 easier, though it should not be carried too far, or it will injure 

 the manure; and a man can in this manner break about4cwt. 

 in the day into pieces small enough to be passed through such 

 a sieve as those used in cleansing oats; but a mill with one 

 horse will crush five tons within the same time. The opera- 

 tion for the crushing of both linseed and rape-cake is the same, 

 and the former has, in many instances, been also employed as 

 manure; but although more effective when thus applied than 

 the latter, we yet strongly doubt the expediency of making 

 such use of any thing which is fit for food. One load of the 

 dung of beasts fed with linseed-cake is thought worth nearly 

 two of any other; and will enrich the land nearly as much as 

 if the cake was laid on in its original state. The cheapest 

 mode of its employment will, consequently, be always found 

 to consist in feeding bullocks or sheep, as the linseed-cake can 

 be both profitably used as food, and will afterwards be nearly 

 as powerful a manure. Our observations, therefore, attach 

 solely to rape-dust. 



When sown broadcast, it matters little whether the cakes 

 be rendered into dust, or merely pounded into small pieces; 

 but as that mode of spreading them, though more convenient, 

 requires a larger quantity than when laid in drills, besides 

 being less immediately effective to the crop, the practice has 

 now almost universally given way to that of drilling, which is 

 thus performed : — 



When laid in drills with the seed, it is generally ground 

 fine by means of a stone revolving on its edge, as in a bark- 

 mill, and in this mode it is usually applied when intended for 

 turnips; but for wheat it is not uncommon to drill it between 

 the rows in March or April, as, when sown along with the 

 seed, it is apt to render the crop winter-proud. In Norfolk, 

 Mr. Coke is said to have improved upon this plan, drilling one 

 half the usual quantity with the seed, and the other half 

 between the rows in the spring, from an idea that the plants 

 are more likely to be then benefited by this additional stimulus. 

 In spreading the dust for turnips, the common drill-barrow 

 might be supposed to answer very well; but a layer of soil 

 should intervene between the seed and the manure, tor if 

 applied directly to the seed, it will be injured by the fermenta- 

 tion which always takes place in rape-cake when laid in the 

 land. Some drills are, however so constructed as to cover 



