OF CORNWALL. 87 
frefh from the fea, upon their barley lands, in the end of March 
and beginning of April, and have a good crop of corn ; but the 
weeds grow fo plentifully and rank afterwards, that no wholfome 
grafs for pafture, is to be expected for that year. It is reckoned to 
give a difagreeable moiflure to afparagus, potatoes, and other roots, 
and it is obferved by Sir George Mackenfie, k that lands often uled 
to this manure, yield bad oats, and in a fmall quantity, the hulks 
thicker than ordinary, and more darnel among the corn, than in 
lands which have not fo much oreweed laid on them. 
Other manures ariling from putrefa&ion, burning the ftroil, and Fifh manure, 
the faces of animals are as common in this county as elfewhere, and 
differ not in their management ; but near hiking towns, the hufoand- 
man in Cornwall has the advantage of purchaling, for a fmall matter, 
bruifed, decayed pilchards, not fit for market, and alfo call fait, 
that is, bay-falt which has been ufed already for faking pilchards, 
and being adjudged by the officer of the cultoms no longer fit for 
that ufe, is fold to the hulbandman from four-pence to fix-pence 
a wincheller: Thefe offcalls of the pilchard cellars, confilling 
entirely of fait, oil, and putrefied filk, and eafily carried, becaufe 
little of it fuffices, may therefore be reckoned the cheapeft, as 
well as richelt manure any where to be procured. It will warm 
the coldeft land, throws forth plenty of natural wholefome grafs, 
as well as corn, and by the verdure it fupports, demonftrates it’s 
lafling enlivening virtue even fome years after it has been laid on. 
However, being extremely hot, experience loon convinces us, that 
it is bell when left to diffolve, temper, and digefl it’s falts in heaps 
of earth and fand, before it be carried forth upon the arable ground. 
The feeds we fow are wheat, barley, oats, and rye, belides Seeds> 
which, we have the Avena nuda of Ray, called in Cornwall 
pilez, which grows in the pooreft croft-land that has been tilled two 
or three feafons before with potatoes, and for the ufes of the poor 
anfwers all the purpofes of oatmeal : It is a fmall yellow grain of the 
price of wheat (reckoned of the wheat kind) and for fattening calves, 
accounted fuperiour to any other nourilhment. Rye is much lels 
tilled of late years, fince barren lands have been fo improved as to 
bear barley ; but of barley we make double ufe, and therefore 
have a double demand for it, I mean for bread, as well as beer. In 
Mullion, and fome parifhes near the Lizherd, they have fown 
barley, and in nine weeks commonly, oftentimes fooner, they 
have had it again in the fack, fit for market. This quick return 
is not owing to any one particular fort of barley , 1 but to the foil 
and fituation, and a kindly warm foafon, the nights in the lummer 
k Philof. Tranf. No. 117, pag. 390. 1 As Dr. Plot feems to think. Oxfardfli. pag. 55. 
time 
