THE planter's GUIDE. 



141 



different qualities, and has frequently some portion of iron 

 combined with it united with sulphuric acid. This is a 

 mixture which, in excess, is pernicious to vegetation and 

 to the growth of woody plants. It therefore becomes 

 necessary to destroy or neutralise it by admixture with 

 other substances. The respectable Judge above men- 

 tioned says that aU his peat at Meadowbank was so con- 

 taminated. Some part of the peat at this place is 

 unfortunately of the same species, and many of my crops 

 as w^ell as trees were injured by it before the cause was 

 discovered. When the peat is taken from the pit, and 

 laid out to dry in the heap, the sulphate of iron is easily 

 distinguished by an efflorescence of small white crystals of 

 an astringent taste appearing on the surface, and also a 

 strong sulphureous smell on its being burnt, or exposed to 

 the rays of the sun. 



The remedy suggested by the learned judge I have 

 found perfectly effectual, in attenuating or counteracting 

 these pernicious ingredients, namely, to add to the dung- 

 hiU or compost, in preparing it for fermentation, a certain 

 proportion of coal, wood, or peat ashes, he says, a twenty- 

 eighth part ; or, in default of these, half the quantity of 

 slacked lime. Lime is the substance which has been 

 used here, but in a rather larger proportion than that 

 which Lord Meadowbank recommends.'" It gives me, 

 however, particular satisfaction to find, that I am borne 

 out in my partiality to peat compost, as a general and 

 useful manure, by the practice as well as the opinion of a 

 writer who was himself a skilful planter, and a chemist 

 of considerable experience. 



The transplanting of large trees and underwood is 

 practised for two different purposes : first, for procuring 



* Direction!? for preparing Manure from Peat, p. 33. 



