CRASS. 



weeks as tlie very offonfive fmcll that iffues fully proves. 

 In this diftridl, where we have occafionally witneffed the 

 praftice, with fome of the lefs intelhgeiil farmers, the 

 jiioiilure of the manure has been fo much forced oft and 

 diffipated, efpecially when there is much wind, as to leave 

 the materials in nearly a perfectly dry ilate. The fudden 

 drying up of large ponds, at fuch feafons, (liews in a more 

 ftrikiu"- manner the extent of the injury that the farmer 

 -fullains in choofing this feafon for the application of his ma- 

 nure" upon his grafs-lands. And, it dill further ftates, that 

 " there is another way in which a vail lofs of manure may 

 take place when applied at either of the periods that have 

 been juft noticed, efpecially where the lands lie in Hoping 

 direCl'ions, as is frequently the cafe, which is by the heavy 

 rains in the autumnal feafon carrying down tlie more fine 

 and rich parts of the manure, in a Hate of folution, into 

 the ditches and runlets on the fides or other parts of the 

 fields. Of the great wade of manure occafioned in this 

 way any one may convince himfelf, by attending to the 

 Hate of the water as it drains off from the liigher grounds 

 into thefe places, after the land has been previoufly drelh-d, 

 as it will be found liighly coloured, and loaded with the 

 cnrichinci- carbonaceous particles of the manure." And 

 " after frolls, when fudden thaws occur, tlie fame thing 

 happens" in a flill more extenfive degree than in the other 

 cafes. 



In cafes where the natural drynefs and open texture of 

 the foil admit of the manure being applied in the early 

 fpring months, there will be lefs danger of walle in the 

 iiboTC manner, and at t!ie fame time greater advantage ob- 

 tained in the growth of the produce ; as, from the mode- 

 rate heat and quicknefs of the vegetation at this period, the 

 grafs will foon over-lhade and conceal the dung, where laid 

 on in a fuitable ilate of reduction or finenels, without fuffer- 

 in^i- much exhalation to take place ; and the enriching ma- 

 terial be conveyed to the roots of the grafs-plants at the 

 time in which it may be the moll ufeful in promoting their 

 growth. Where the principal objeft of the farmer is a 

 large produce, and the nature of the foil will admit of the 

 rnanure's being applied without injury, this is unqueitionably 

 the moft fuitable as well as moll beneficial time of putting 

 tlie duno- upon grafs-lands. The earlier, however, it can 

 be performed the bettei". See Manure. 



But it has been Hated by fome, that manure produces 

 the ilrono-ell effefts upon the land when applied early in the 

 autumn, or in meadows as foon as poflible after they have 

 had the hay taken off from them. And others fuppofe 

 this lafl as the moll proper feafon for having the bufinefs 

 performed in of any. 



In regard to the kinds of manure that are mod proper, 

 there is Icarely any fort that will not be beneficial when laid 

 upon o-rafs-lands ; in general, however, the more rich ani- 

 mal kinds \\ill be the moil fuitable for the older forts of 

 l\vard-land ; and dung, in combination with frefh earthy 

 materials, the more proper on the new lays or grafs-lands, 

 as by this means a fine earthy bed will be prepared for the 

 roots of die grafs-plants to (hoot and fpread themfelves into, 

 and a better fward formed in confequence of fuch appli- 

 cations. See haying Land tlo'wn to Groj's. 



It is the practice of the bell fanners in the hay-dlllridl 

 of Middlefex to ufe the richeft dung they can procure, 

 without mixing it with any fort of earthy material, aa they 

 find it anfwer bell in the quantity of produce, whicli is the 

 principal objeft. The lands on which this fyllem is pur- 

 i'ued, are mollly fuch as have been long under fward, and 

 where the foils are chiefly of the more tenacious, loamy, or 

 tilayey kinds. It cannot, however, be doubted, but that 



earthy compofts in the proportion of a third or fourth of^ 

 fuch materials may, in many cafes, according to the nature 

 and circumllances of the land, be had recourfe to with 

 great and beneficial effefts, both in rendering the land more 

 produftive, and in bringing the herbage into a finer ftate, 

 as well as in bettering the lurface for the purpofe of mow- 

 ing. See M.\NUKE. 



It may be obferved, that whatever the nature of the ma- 

 terial may be that is employed in combination with dung, 

 or the fort of manure that is ufed, it (liould invariably be 

 brought into a rather fine Itate. It is the praftice, in the 

 dillricts mentioned above, to turn over the dung that it 

 brought from London in a ilate of tolerable rottennefs once, 

 chopping it well down in the operation, fo as to be in a 

 middling ilate of finenefs when put upon the land. It is 

 'neceffary, however, that it ihould be in a more rotten and 

 reduced ilate when applied in the fpring, than when the 

 autumn is the time of putting it upon the land. 



In refpeft to the proportion of manure made ufe of at 

 once, it (hould be, in fome meafure, fuited to the ftate of 

 the land, but, in general, fuch as to afford a good even 

 covering to the furface of the ground. Where the manure 

 is of a very good and enriching quality, the quantity may 

 be from four or five to fix or feveii loads on the acre, of 

 fuch as are drawn by three or four horfes. But where the 

 manure is of an inferior quality, a much larger proportion 

 may be requifite and proper. 



The frequency of drefling grafs-lands, in fo far as it re- 

 fpeC^s the foil, Ihould conftantly be performed at fuch dif- 

 tances of time, as that the fertility of the lands may not be 

 fuflercd to decline, but be preferved in an equal or incrcafeJ 

 ilate of heart ; in which the manner and frequency of cut- 

 ting, or otherwife coniuming the produce, mull be conlider- 

 ed ; as, where crops are more frequently taken off, the land 

 mull be prevented from being injured, by the great lofs ol: 

 fertility that muft arife in this way, by the dreflings being 

 applied at Ihorter intervals, or in larger quantities at a time ; 

 but the firll is by much the bell method, as injury may often- 

 be done by too great a dreffing being given at once. But, 

 in general, where luch lands are in a tolerable ftate of culti- 

 vation, every third year may be fufficient ; while on fuch a»- 

 are of inferior value, it may be a better practice to do it every 

 fecond year, as by this frequent application of manure, the 

 lands may attain a gradual improvement ; whereas, in th» 

 contrary cafe, they would be on the decline, and in time be- 

 come poor and worn out to the great injury of the farmer. 

 It is a too common prailice, in dillriils where grafs-huibandry 

 is imperfedlly underllood, to almoft wholly neglecl the manur- 

 ing of fward-lands, in order to employ it on thofe wliich are 

 under the plough : but this is obviouily bad management ; as 

 it is only by the niifing of full crops of grafs for being con- 

 verted into hay, and of proper kinds of green food, that a full 

 flock of cattle can be kept, and the largcll poiTible proportions 

 of manure provided for the land. It may be noted there are 

 a few articles made ufe of as top-dreiTings to grafs-lands, which 

 cannot, it is faid, be frequently repeated with either fafety 

 or advantage, fuch as chalk, marie, chopped woollen rags, 

 and fome others. It is itated, that " the firll of thefe kinds, 

 efpecially when of a foft, unctuous nature, fo as to readily 

 fall down in the ilate of folution to the roots of the grais- 

 plants, is found to produce the moll beneficial effetls, in ren- 

 dering the lands more fertile and productive, and improving 

 the quality of the h.erbage. It cannot, however, be often 

 repeated in its fimple Ilate with advantage, as it is fome time 

 in producing its full effefts ; but in that of compoil, it may 



be applied with fuccefs at ihorter intervals. Ma 



like- 



wife a fubftancc, el'peciully when it i« of the rich, foapy 



kill (if 



