SALT AS MANURE. 
2 76 
confidence of this sort in bones have had their opinion considerably 
changed by the experience of the years 1832, and 1833. I have 
heard farmers say that in these two years, they could discern no 
greater exemption from the fly in fields that were boned, than in any 
other.” 
“Oil cake is another of those resources to supply the lack of yard 
manure, which in some districts is extensively applied. In Norfolk 
particularly, it has long been a favorite, and very deservedly so, for 
the best effects have resulted to that county from its general adoption. 
But excellent as this manure is in favourable seasons, I believe those 
who have had the greatest experience in it can testify that they have 
often been disappointed in bad ones, when they relied on it for a crop 
of turnips. As before stated, the turnip plant, from its| great liability 
to be destroyed by the fly in its infancy, requires, more than any 
other, the immediate assistance of manure to push it forward to a state 
of security. The good elfects of oil cake are found so contingent on 
the falling of rain soon after its application, that unless this happens, 
but little good is derivable from it in this point of view. The reason 
is obvious. It is necessary to render the cake so dry and hard, for 
the purpose of grinding it into powder for its proper distribution, 
that until it be thoroughly moistened bv rain, no decomposition can 
take place, and as this process is necessary in all manures for their 
convertion into the food of plants, so the oil cake remains inoperative 
in the ground, till the weather supplies the requisite quantity of mois¬ 
ture. Valuable, therefore, as this manure undoubtedly is in many 
respects, the circumstance that it needs so large a supply of water at 
a season, the usual characteristic of which is great dryness, unfits it 
in a great measure for being relied on by the cultivator of turnips. 
When, however, all happens to be right as to season, there are but 
few matters used with more effect; and for all crops, the sowing of 
which occurs in the fall or early spring, its merits cannot be con¬ 
troverted.” 
“In estimating the value of artificial manures, it must not be 
forgotten, that their importance is commonly pretty much connected 
with their application to the culture of turnips, because it is for this 
crop the farmer generally finds himself at a loss to provide from his 
home supply. It being a general practice to employ the product of 
the farm-yard in manuring for wheat, this resource is equal to the 
demands of any other crop. I know that some of our leading agri¬ 
culturists condemn the system of applying dung for wheat, but 
whether it be good or bad, it may be considered as almost the universal 
custom. Such being the case, it is for his turnips that the farmer 
T 3 
