( viii ) 



QUERIES ON THE USE OF LIME AS A 

 MANURE. 



Drawn up by J. W. Childers, Esq., M.P., and adopted by the Committee 

 of Management. 



I'he Doncaster Agricultural Society, of which Earl Spencer 

 was president, in the year 1828 decided on turning their attention 

 to other subjects besides the exhibition of stock; and it occurred 

 to them that a very desirable mode of gaining accurate informa- 

 tion on agricultural subjects w^ould be to draw up queries, and to 

 send them round to farmers and others likely to give information. 

 The substance of the answers was then embodied in a Report. 



It was thought that by this means knowledge of a very valuable 

 character might be obtained, inasmuch as it would not merely be 

 the opinion or experiments of an individual, however talented and 

 accurate he might be, but the combined experience of a number 

 of persons. Thus the errors and mistakes of one could be cor- 

 rected by the statements of others. 



This experiment was successful and satisfactory. The Society 

 published, in successive years. Reports on Bone Manure, on 

 Mangel Wurzel as a Fallow Crop, and on the Turnip- Fly. 



The Committee of the English Agricultural Society have de- 

 cided to pursue the same plan ; and it is hoped that the extent 

 of the Society, together with its power of commanding greater 

 editorial ability, will enable it to prosecute the system more effi- 

 ciently. 



The subject adopted for the first inquiry is one of very great 

 extent (and though much has been written on it, still great doubt 

 remains), — " The application of Lime as a Manure." 



It may not perhaps be so interesting as some other subjects 

 that might have been proposed, but^ from the general diffusion 

 of limestone all over England^ it ought to excite attention in 

 every county. 



