J)een gravely told, as an instance of the extreme eco- 

 nomy which prevails there, that * the barbers of China 

 frequently make respectable forttoies, by selling for 

 manure, the suds hi which they have lathered and 

 shaved their customers. 



Mixing- dung- in a fermenting- state with earth, in 

 which there is much deadveg-etable matter, such as the 

 scourings of ditches, &c. is a good practice. It will 

 rot and dissolve this dead matter, consisting- of the 

 roots of decayed grasses and other plants, and pre- 

 pare it for giving- nourishment : there should always 

 be a supply of earth at hand to be mived with fresh 

 stable dung, and receive the juices of the dunghill. 



Lime is next to be considered. This is a most 

 important manure ; indeed no soil will ever be tit for 

 much that does not contain this earth, either naturally 

 or by artiticial application. In applying lime, you 

 should attend to the follo-vving rules : 



1. Apply it in a powdery state, because its effects 

 depend on its being well mixed with the surface soil. 



2. Plough or harrow in lime very lightly, becaxise 

 it sinks in the ground. 



3. If you lime or marl a pasture field, do not break 

 it up for a year or two afterwards, M'hen the manure 

 will be washed into the roots of the grasses and 

 blended with the soil. 



4. Slake your lime with water which will reduce 

 it to a powder at once; whereas if -you leave it to be 

 slaked by accidental rain or moist air, it wiU not be 

 powdered so effectually. 



5. If you make a compost f of lime and clay, let a 

 platform of any kind of mould or earth, the richer 

 the better, be formed, about six inches thick, twelve 

 feet wide, and as long as may be necessary for the 



* I do not, however, pledge my reputation for tlie strict 

 truth of this story. 



f The compost, which is an imitation of soap ash, should be 

 prepared at least two or three months before the time of using it. 



