in the stalls of their live stock, to absorb the urine ; and carriedit afterwards, along with the dung, to the dung-stead. Somehave laid a thick layer in the bottom of the dung-stead, to re-ceive the juices of the dung to be laid upon it when carried fromthe stalls, and mixed thinner layers afterwards; and some havecarried new dung to the field, and there mixed it with moss.But Lord Meadowbank, who applied, with scientific attention,to the making and application of this compost, and generouslycommunicated the whole, was the first who taught the public toexecute this in an accurate and masterly manner. The rules tobe followed being now generally known, and successfully prac-tised in different districts, need not here be repeated.
Composts, where both lime and dung are mingled with theearths, serve the purposes of both the separate mixtures. It hasbeen very properly recommended, as mentioned in Sect. II., toincorporate the earth with the lime, before the dung be added.In this manner, the particles of the earths, separated by turningand mixing with the lime, receive, more regularly, the juice andgases of fermenting dung ; and both a well constructed soil anda store of vegetable food are added at once. In all earthy com-posts, it is a good general rule, that the earth should differ asmuch in consistence from the soil on which it is to be laid a*possible.
Sect. IV.
Concluding Observations.
These various substances which we have been considering asmanures, are applied, by human industry, to increase or keepalive the fertility of the soil; without which, experience instructsns, a comparative sterility would reign. The two chief purposesfor which they are applied, are, 1st, For giving the soil theproper consistence for holding the roots of plants, and for re-ceiving, containing, and distributing the fit proportion of waterfor conveying food to them ; 2d, For storing the soil with sub-stances which yield that food. Fossil substances seem to be in-tended almost solely for the first of these purposes; unless fossilscontain the solution of organized bodies locked up within themilittle of which has hitherto been discovered. The burden of sup-plying with food, sufficient to bring to a profitable maturity, theplants cultivated by man, falls principally oy the store of orga-nized matter, in a soluble state, which he can administer to th esoil. But when we consider the immense number of animalswhich have been nourished by the produce of the field, and areburied deep in the earth, or overwhelmed in the ocean—-the vastquantity of the principles of which vegetables have been formed,
become insoluble in timber, coal mines, &c_the no less qua»'
tity of animal and vegetable spoils which we see, every dabwashed away in torrents, and hurried to the sea—the great pr®”