160 



GENERAL OBSERVATIONS 



tended solely to enrich the soil, yet it is not im- 

 probable but this powerful liquor, by being im- 

 pregnated with saline particles, may communicate 



which might easily be done by the help of a water-cart, such 

 as is used to convey water to lay the dust in the streets and 

 roads, about cities and great towns. 



Manure is an article of such vast importance in husbandry, 

 that the farmer ought to pay the greatest attention possible to 

 the enlargement of his stock of dung. It is to be wished that 

 it would become a practice to stow the farm, fold, and stable- 

 yards, with leaves of trees, rotten tan, noxious weeds, saw-dust, 

 moory earth, and such like materials. These should be intro- 

 duced before the dunghill is formed, and should be laid to a 

 considerable thickness in the lowest part of the yard, as they 

 would there receive and imbibe the riches that drain from the 

 dung above. 



If this method of proceeding were introduced, many farmers 

 would have an opportunity of collecting materials, whereby 

 they might increase their stock of dung to more than twice its 

 usual quantity. 



Although soils of different qualities admit of improvement by 

 various modes of practice, yet, without the aid of manure, the 

 farmer would find his utmost exertions of but little value. And 

 though some have endeavoured to prove that the earth, when 

 duly pulverized by the action of the plough, does not require 

 manure *, yet experience tells us that it is the very life and 

 soul of husbandry ; and when judiciously applied on almost 

 every kind of soil, its effects will seldom disappoint the ex- 

 pectation of the farmer. 



* Mr. Tull, in his Netv Husbandry, tells us, that tjohere the 

 ground is properly managed, manure is an useless article ; but 

 his opinion is novo generally and justly exploded. 



