The Agriculture of Pembrokeshire. 
93 
" artificial " manures have been introduced into the county. 
Those that have taken the firmest hold are " superphosphate of 
lime " and " dissolved bones." It was soon understood by farmers 
that guano was what may be called an " all-round fertilizer," in 
a similar sense to good farm-yard manure, and not simply a 
stimulant. It would have been a great gain for farmers if guano 
of the qualitv of the earlier shipments had been found in suffi- 
cient quantity and remained the only artificial manure. At the 
present time — even supposing the artificial manures are what 
thev are represented to be — the farmer is often in doubt as to 
which he had better use, and the price is such that he can very 
easily throw away the profit of his crop. The good results 
which follow in the pastures of this county from a dressing of 
dissolved or undissolved bones are well known ; but the cost of 
this manure is considerable, and although it is in fashion at 
present, farmers might consider whether they could not supply 
similar constituents with equal results at less cost. Again, I 
mav say that every farmer knows how well ewes and lambs do 
on land that has just been laid down with this manure. To 
prepare " dissolved bones," large quantities of sulphuric acid 
are used ; and whether it is desirable to apply the quantity of 
this acid to the soil, as is done when using bone or mineral 
superphosphates, is a subject of which probably much will be 
heard in tbe near future. Perhaps some of those who in recent 
years have become acquainted with a peculiar turnip complaint, 
known as " fingers and toes," will have something to say on this 
point. If the farmer had always sufficient farm-yard manure of 
good quality to cover his pastures, there would be no occasion 
for artificial manures ; but he has not sufficient in quantitv, and 
the quality is usually very inferior, therefore to keep up fertility 
some auxiliary must be used. There can be little question that 
the land of this county was much benefited bv the old custom 
of liming, and probably it will be well if those interested do 
not lose sight of the qualities of lime. Possibly our predecessors 
when the article was cheap, and the idea prevailed that it was a 
direct fertilizer, applied more than was necessary ; but at the 
present time, when knowledge is so easily obtained, farmers 
should apply it in suitable quantity in combination with other 
manures. 
It is pretty well understood now that the fertility of a soil 
depends on its mechanical condition as well as on its chemical 
composition. Thus a soil may be chemically rich, but unpro- 
ductive from its unworkable, impermeable, or undrainable state. 
Probably no other constituent of the soil equals lime in its 
power to affect this mechanical condition beneficially ; again, 
it aids in the decay of organic matter — a process which pro- 
