The ylpplication of the Mdimrc vf the Farm. 339 
the manure applird would have been washed out of the land. 
Unlike the occupiers of retentive clays, the farmer of sandy land 
has to contend against a wasteful soil, which requires him to be 
discreet in the use of manure. How far it is an economical pro- 
cedure to overcome this prejudicial character in our light soils 
by the use of clay or marl, is a matter of serious importance to 
the occupants of such land. 
Root-Crops. — Upon our sands the use of dung for these crops 
is not generally in favour, but in the same degree as the land 
becomes more loamy in its character, or, I might say, as the pro- 
portion of clayey matter in the soil increases, so the application 
of dung for roots becomes increasingly desirable. The reason 
scarcely needs explanation, as it is manifestly dependent upon 
the preservative powers of the land. We also find that the con- 
dition of the manure varies in the same manner ; for those soils 
which have the least powers for retaining manure require it in 
the most decomposed condition — in fact, ready for immediate 
use by the growing crop. In the case of clays and clayey loams, 
we have seen that great advantage resulted from using the dung 
as fresh as possible, because the decay in the soil proceeded 
without loss, and in a more advantageous manner. In our sandy 
soils, it is directly the reverse ; the slow fermentation would here 
be attended with considerable sacrifice, and consequently the 
manure must be prepared by a careful fermentation before it is 
added to the land. As the soil approximates more and more 
closely to a loam, so may the manure be advantageously applied 
in a less decomposed condition. The rule previously named 
still holds good — that, so far as the preservative poioers of the soil 
will pei'init, the fermentation will be advantageously conducted be- 
neath the soil in preference to being carried on in a manure-heap. 
Apart from a consideration of the fertilising ingredients of the 
manure, we have other reasons for carrying out this rule Avhich 
are forced upon us by its mechanical influence upon the soil. 
The sandy soils, from their want of adhesive power, require 
compression rather than any increase of their loose character ; 
for although plants require a freedom in the soil for the extension 
of their roots, still when there is not sufficient firmness in the 
land to enable them to maintain a steady attachment to it, they 
cannot flourish. Growth is most luxuriant when these opposing 
tendencies are nicely balanced, as, for example, in our loamy- 
soils, which possess in a sufficient degree the superior qualities 
both of the clayey and sandy soils. Our efforts are therefore 
directed to render our clay soils less adhesive, but to make our 
sandy soils more so. Whilst, therefore, we take advantage of the 
rigid character of long dung to keep our clay soils open, we find 
it advantageous to overcome this influence in the dung intended 
for sandy soils. This is best done by a well-conducted fermenta- 
