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Chap. XII. Appendix, Part 4. No. I.

79

dung is regularly laid. In fome diftrifts, the laft or putrid ftage offermentation is barely allowed to commence : the dung is alwayskept moift and moderately compaft, and laid on the land before itbe much rotted. Some even give long dung the preference of thatwhich is Ihort and rotten, efpecially for wheat and potatoes, providedit has been kept moift and immediately ploughed into the foil. Dung made by high fed cattle is much preferable to that of thofe whichare lean and fparingly fed.

Town dung is brought from towns and populous villages to whichlittle land is attached. It confifts of the excrements and litter ofdomeftic animals, afhes and every kind of garbage, fweepings ofhoufes and ftreets, foaked generally in putrid liquids. This is great-ly in demand. Farmers fend hay, potatoes, turnips, See. to towns,and bring back dung. It is fold at various prices in different dif-trifb, from 2 s. 6d. to 6s. per ton. It has been obferved that far-mers who have accefs to town dung, are lefs attentive to making itat home. From great towns it is lometimes carried eight miles andUpwards, and becomes a coftly manure.

Dung of birds.—There is no particular report about it. Butit is known to be a very powerful manure where it is to be had.

Woollen rags are used as manure. Formerly poor old peoplewent round and collected them in magazines, from whence far-mers were accommodated. As 70 or 80 stones, hay weight,were reckoned sufficient dressing for an acre, they were some-times carried to a considerable distance, cut in small pieces,strewed over the field from the hand, and ploughed in. Whetherit is that the expectations of those who used rags have been oftendisappointed, or that new channels of employment have carriedoff the collectors, this kind of manuring has fallen much into dis-use, and rags are now more frequently thrown promiscuouslyinto the dunghill, and carried with other matters to the field.They are still however partially used, and reported to have agood effect, especially on the potatoe crop. Animal hair, whichis nearly of the same nature with wool, sells too high to be usedas manure.

Sea weed, or sea-ware, is used as manure all around the coast.Of this genus of plants, there are four species found on the coastsof Scotland , which are applied to that purpose. Fucus vesicu-losus, F. nodosus, F. serratus, and F. digitatus. Towards theheads of the narrow bays, and the upper parts of the embou-chures of rivers, the F. serratus is the most common, and is saidto have the weakest effect. It is recommended to spread theseWeeds fresh from the shore, and immediately plough them in ; astheir chief value consists in a very soluble gluten, with whichthey are replete when they come fresh from the sea. If that isnot convenient, they should be formed in heaps, and well cover-®d with mould. When peat moss is at hand, it is a proper sub-