468 
Faiming of Devonshire. 
soil the more rotten should the dung he when applied to the land. 
In order to check the fermentation in the previous instance, I 
directed the carts to be drawn over the heap of manure, and thus 
I obtain the desired result hy the exclusion of the air. In this 
case we require the fermentation to proceed rapidly, and to effect 
this object the heaps should be thrown together, and turned twice 
or thrice according to the character of the land for which it is 
intended and must be properly covered with mould or some other 
body after each turning. From the previous statements it will be 
seen that the present practice of this part renders the quality of 
the manure inferior to that obtained under more correct manage- 
ment, and I must now recommend an increase of quantity. This 
will be most economically obtained by consuming a larger amount 
of the farm produce with artificial food for fatting cattle and 
sheep. The expenses of the latter will be well repaid if judg- 
ment is shown in its selection and use — we may thus obtain an 
abundant supply of rich manure at a very trifling expense. This 
source of manure is far more worthy the attention of agriculturists 
than some artificial manures which are now in such general de- 
mand. 
Lime. — This county is well supplied with this manure, and it 
is very extensively employed. It appears to have been first used 
for this purpose rather more than two centuries ago, for Risdon, 
in his report on this county, written in 1640, states the practice 
to have recently commenced. It is a valuable manure, but in 
many cases is most injudiciously applied. There is no manure 
in common use more injurious when applied without judgment; 
but, when carefully used, few can be found more valuable to the 
agriculturist or more efficient to assist him in his operations. In 
Devonshire its abundance leads many to employ it, irrespective of 
the character of the soil. I have previously stated that it is 
generally applied immediately before the manure for the turnip- 
crop. I would here suggest the propriety of its application to 
the clover ley before ploughing for wheat if the four or five 
course is followed, or to the wheat-stubble where the " old Devon 
course" is adopted. I cannot enter into a consideration of the 
principles which should regulate our employment of this manure, 
from the length to which the details would necessarily carry me ; 
but as the subject will no doubt be noticed in the Prize Essay 
for the use of lime as a manure, to that I must refer the reader 
for further information. 
In the neighbourhood of Woodbury, as well as in many other 
parts, lime is mixed with farm-yard dung, and allowed to remain 
in this stale several days before it is spread. It is well known that 
lime mixed with any animal manures (after the process of fer- 
mentation has commenced) will liberate the ammonia they con- 
