516 
On the Advantages and Disadvantages of 
sowing to oats : he Las lost both the years' crops by wire-worm 
and grubs. He states that, in the operation of paring and burn- 
ing in the past summer, thousands upon thousands of these little 
voracious creatures were destroyed. Every mode calculated to 
promote thorough pulverization ought to be adopted on these 
heavy soils. Subsoil-ploughing would be very efficacious, and 
should be repeated at intervals of about five years, till the land is 
rendered open and friable : be it remembered, however, that it is 
of no avail without previous subsoil drainage ; deep ploughing 
and other deep working may then be accomplished without dif- 
ficulty. This, aided by a liberal application of lime, chalk, or 
fish-shells, will soon render it mild and convertible. Lime ought 
to be applied as follows : — At convenient intervals during the 
winter, lead into heaps, to be laid on a dry spot, as much as may 
be required for use, of the best well-burnt lime to be met with ; 
the larger the heap the better, taking care that neither air nor 
rain shall slake the heap before completed, which ought to be 
done as quickly as possible. The first smart rain will slake suf- 
ficient to form a crust over it, to keep out the weather, and also 
prevent its falling too fast. No lime must be added to the heap, 
however small it may be, after rain sufficient to wet it to any 
depth, as it will cause both to fall and render them unfit for use. 
When all is collected, and well rounded up, the air or rain will 
soon make it secure. When the fallows are sufficiently worked 
and j)repared for sowing, open the heaps and lead on in dry weather : 
spread out of the carts at the rate of about from three to five 
chaldrons per acre, and in this way it will be applied in its most 
caustic state, when, if well harrowed and worked in, it will pro- 
mote the decomposition of the vegetable matter in the soil faster 
than by any other mode yet discovered. 
The application of chalk should be in the autumn and early 
part of the winter, and laid upon the land, to be fallowed at the 
rate of about 500 or GOO bushels per acre, being about 25 or 30 
cart-loads per acre, and evenly spread. The air and winter's 
frost will cause most of it to fall, so as to be with great benefit 
incorporated with the soil, and the summer following will do 
much to reduce the remaining. 
Fish-shells, such as mussels, do great good applied fresh from 
the shore on fallows, or they may be carried to the fold-yard and 
mixed with the manure. 
Of ail the various applications of manure tried, none has been 
found to equal fold-yard dung, when well and richly made, by 
the consumption of large quantities of cake or green food. 
It should if possible be kept in the yard till required for use, 
only turning it once to promote equal fermentation, about five 
