By Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 343 



to those which had been previously sown, a small quantity of 

 compost, similar to that put into the pots, being added ; and 

 the common mould was then closed round their roots, and 

 raised upon each side of the rows. Sticks to support and 

 protect the plants were immediately added, in rather more 

 than the ordinary number and quantity ; and subsequently 

 no particular care, or attention, was paid to them. 



On the morning of the 29th of April, I ascertained the 

 comparative growth of my plants, which had been subjected 

 to the different modes of treatment above mentioned, in two 

 rows which grew contiguous to each other : when I found 

 the height of those, which had been raised in pots to be fif- 

 teen inches, and that of the others to be scarcely four inches ; 

 and I much doubt whether I ever possessed, in the most 

 favourable season, as forward a crop of Peas as my garden 

 now contains. 



Many causes appear to me to have operated in conjunc- 

 tion to produce the foregoing effects. It has long been 

 known that snow does not, in winter, lie so long upon ground, 

 which has been manured in the same season with fresh un- 

 fermented horse dung, as upon unmanured ground; and 

 therefore I conclude that some degree of heat existed in, and 

 emanated from, the compost, though probably never in a 

 sufficient degree to have been sensible to the touch of any 

 warm blooded animal. If placed in a considerable heap, such 

 a compost, as that described, and even when the horse dung 

 is much less in quantity, will heat violently. I have often 

 suffered the compost of this kind, which I employ for Pine 

 Apples, to become hot to prevent the subsequent appearance 

 of earth worms in it. 

 vol. v. Y y 



