ON MANURES. 175 



dried. The browner the dust, tlierefore the more active it is 

 found to be in its immediate application — provided the barley 

 from which it is made be of equal goodness. Farmers are, 

 therefore, not unfrequently deceived m their expectations of 

 its powers, from the want of proper attention to these circum- 

 stances, for the quantity to be' applied to the land should be 

 regulated accordingly. 



It has been used with considerable success upon stiff loams, 

 and even on sandy and chalky loams, and other calcareous 

 hungry soils; but upon cold, stiff land we should recommend 

 the application of the brown dust, as the most likely to be ef- 

 fectual to the crop in the ground. The accounts given of its 

 influence upon the succeeding crops are by no means favour- 

 able, though in Walker's report of Hertfordshire, it is said that 

 "these top-dressings not only supply the want of previous ma- 

 nure, but also, when crops are sickly and backward in the 

 spring, occasioned either by bad seed-times, frosts, or other 

 causes, are attended with wonderful success, and enable the 

 crops to vegetate quickly, and cover and protect the soil on 

 which they grow from the droughts of summer." He states, 

 indeed, that the farmers of that country are chiefly indebted to 

 its effects for their never-failing crops: and that, therefore, 

 they continue to enlarge upon the practice, though attended 

 with considerable expense. To which Mr. Malcolm adds, 

 "that he has seen an untoward season so injure the young 

 barleys as to nearly annihilate the crop, which had been pre- 

 viously dusted, but which was aflerwards entirely recovered 

 by a repetition of the malt-dust ; which shows, that although 

 from some ungenial circumstances the first manuring had not 

 been attended with all the success which might have been 

 expected, yet it clearly proves that we should not be afraid of 

 a second application, which is often attended with more than 

 ordinary success." He, however, advises to be laid on in the 

 following quantities: — 



If top-dressed, for wheat, from 36 to 40 bushels. 



If drilled with the crop, for barley and turnips 30 to 34 " 



according to the strength of the soil. Mr. Young says gene- 

 rally from 40 to 60 bushels; and states that it greatly improves 

 cold grass land: notwithstanding which high authority, we re- 

 commend them to weigh the cost against the probable increase 

 of produce, before they apply it. For wheat, it should be laid 

 on some time in March, just before the usual change of the 

 weather, and should be harrowed in with light harrows. For 

 P 



