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Decayed organized bodies, and the exuviae which they havethrown off, amassed, form the complex substance which we deno-minate Dung; which, after being subjected to less or more putre-faction, is administered to the soil in various quantities, and in dif-ferent circumstances. For turnips, after the ground has been pro-perly reduced and cleaned, it is commonly strewed in furrows o-ver which the plants are to grow, covered immediately with themould which had been thrown out, and the seeds sown over it,;or sometimes it is spread over the whole surface, and ploughedin. Where the soil is of a favourable contexture, and has beenlong under good culture, and regular manuring, from 15 to 20cubic yards is allowed for an acre ; but to soils in worse habit,from 30 to 35 have been sometimes given. On fallow lands,prepared for wheat, a fourth or a fifth part more is frequentlyallowed than for turnips. Clover ley is also sometimes dungedfor wheat, with a greater or less quantity, as the state of theland is deemed to require ; and sometimes land intended for abean or pea crop, is dunged with a view to a succeeding wheator other crop. Land prepared for potatoes, is almost alwaysdunged; and in some districts to a great extent, not only forthe sake of the potatoe crop, but for those which are to follow.Formerly, barley or bear was the crop to which the greatest partof the dung was administered; but of late, the land being pre-viously put in good condition, it is commonly sown withoutdung. It continues to be a practice in some districts to laydung on pasture ground as a preparation for tillage crops.This is done either before winter, or early in spring, beforeploughing. This is thought by many not an economical prac-tice. But those with whom it has succeeded, find it sometimesconvenient, and it is not discontinued. There is little dungspread on the surface to recruit the grass, and keep the land inmeadow, in Scotland ; hay from artificial grass being muchmore in request than that from natural meadows.
There is no difference of opinion respecting the efficacy ofdung to promote fertility, or of the mode of operation. It isuniversally admitted, that the principles of organized bodies,having suffered decomposition, again become the parts of neworganized beings. This bountiful dispensation of Infinite Wis-dom is visible to the most heedless. We cannot miss observingthat, as the substances of which dung is composed, putrefy, somapartis continually dissolving in water; and that this solution,wherever it comes, promotes a vigorous vegetation; and we na-turally conclude, that when this substance is mixed into the soil,■ t must be dissolving in every shower which falls, and be carriedup into the organs of growing plants; and this we plainly seecontinues till all that is soluble is consumed; and then a new re-cruit is required. Hence the concurring testimony from all qu i>vcl. n. F