The quantity of dung usually applied to (allows in ordinary condition is from fourteen to twenty double loads per Scottish acre; though often good crops are reaped when twelve loads only had been given. So much, however, depends upon the condition of the land, upon the quality of the dung, and the way in which the carts are loaded, that no precise meaning can be com municated by such expressions. A decent load may contain one cubic yard and three-fourths, and weigh a ton, or thereby. It also deserves notice, that less dung will serve some lands than others, especially if they have lately been ploughed from grass; but, at all events, sixteen such loads as are mentioned will answer for any sort of soil, unless it has been previously quite wrought out. Even if it were in this forlorn state, it is bet ter management to dung upon the stubble of the first crop, than to give an over-dose when under summer fallow.
All dung laid upon summer fallow ought to be spread the moment it is pulled out of the cart. It can at no other time be done so well, or so cheap; though, on many farms, small ones especially, where a full supply of hands are wanting, this beneficial practice is much De glected. Four spreaders, boys or girls, with an atten tive oversman to lollow up, and supply any omissions, are sufficient for one head of carts ; the number includ ed in a beau being regulated by the distance of the field from the dunghill. Some farmers employ a person, on whom they can depend, to draw the clung from the cart, who has judgment to proportion it according to circum stances, and is responsible lor any failure in the execu tion ; but the carter is the person usually employed, though, unless a buy is given him to &he, a regular distribution can hardly be expected. To insure accu racy in laying down, fields are sometimes thrown into a dam-broad figure ; and, a heap being drawn out into each square, you could have nearly ascertained the quantity required for the whole. The great object, after a regu lar and economical distribution, is to shake and part the whole completely ; as, by minute attention to this cir cumstance, a much greater effect is necessarily pro duced.
After the fallows are lunged, the remainder in hand is reserved for what may be called the intermediate dunging, generally bestowed either upon clover stub bles, upon wheat stubbles previous to taking beans, or upon bean stubbles before the seed furrow is given for wheat. It is obvious, that the farmer must be regulated, in this intermediate dunging, by the weather at the time, though it rarely happens but that dung may be got out upon clover stubbles at one time of the winter or other. When applied to beans, a beneficial practice,
the dung, as we said above, is by sonic people laid upon the wheat stubble, and ploughed down before winter ; hence it is in full action in the spring, when the seed furrow is given. Others make up drills at seed time, depositing the dung in the intervals, as for turnips or potatoes; but it seldom occurs that weather can then be got, at least on real bean soils, for executing this ma nagement.
It remains only to be stated, that many arable farms, under the strictest economy, are unable to furnish sup plies for an intermediate dunging, at least to its full ex tent ; but persons so circumstanced have it always in their power to overcome this defect, and preserve a re gular rotation, by keeping certain fields longer in grass ; which of course will yield weightier crops when broken up, and stand less in need of manure during the after rotation. As, for instance, in a rotation of six, and it is here that the greatest short-coming is felt, grass seeds to a certain extent, say a half, may be thrown in with the crop of wheat taken after fallow, which is the second year of the rotation ; this part may be postured for three years, and broken up in the sixth for oats, which con cludes the course. Again, in a rotation of eight, grass seeds, in like manner, may be sown with a part of the fallow wheat, which part can be pastured for three years, then broken up for oats, succeeded by beans and wheat. By such arrangements, made according to circumstan ces, it is an easy matter to preserve a regular rotation, and to proportion the corn crops to the quantity of ma nure collected upon the premises.
We may add, that the practice of soiling or feeding horses and cattle in the house or farm-yard, is eminently calculated to increase the quantity of manure upon every farm, and to improve its quality.
The soiling of horses, in the summer months, on green clover and rye-grass, is a paactice which prevails in every corn district where farm labour is regularly executed. The utility of the practice does not need the support of argument ; for, it is not only economical to the farmer, but sates much fatigue to the poor animal : besides, the quantity of dung thereby gathered is consi derable.