AGRICULTURAL SURVEY OF chap. XII* 



of time, either in small heaps, or in a scattered 

 state, its nutritive powers will be much diminish- 

 ed by the action of the ain Dung used by it- 

 self, as a top-dressing for grass lands, is an unne- 

 cessary waste of manure. Half the quantity re- 

 quisite this way, if intimately mixed with good 

 earth, will be equally effectual. 



id^ Lime. This county abounds with lime- 

 stone of excellent quality. For a considerable 

 number of years back, lime has been gradually 

 coming into repute as a manure. It is applied, 

 along with dung, to a summer fallow, for a 

 wheat crop. It is used also for turnip, if the 

 land has either never been limed, or limed at a 

 remote period. Sometimes it is laid upon stub- 

 ble land, if clean, and sometimes on ley groundj 

 with a view to tillage, or on pasture in order to 

 destroy fog, and to restore the grass to its for- 

 mer luxuriance. The quantity allowed to an 

 acre varies according to the quality and condi- 

 tion of the land. A sfrongj heavy, stiff soil$ 

 will require from 50 or 60 to 80 bolls of shells, 

 Linlithgow measure to the acre. On ordinary 

 light land, 30 bolls is reckoned sufficient. 



Lime seems to operate as a manure, by con- 

 verting other substances into food for the plants, 

 or by introducing to them food that is already 

 prepared. Thus lim'e, by its sceptic quality, 

 when it meets with any vegetable substances 

 mixed with the soil, hastens the process of pu- 

 trefaction, and reduces it to manure. It has al- 

 so the effect of loosening and pulverizing the 

 soil, by which means it renders it more easily 

 penetrable by the fertilizing dews and showers 

 <:f raiii ; and as the air can more readily enter 



