First year—The crop was oats, hut little benefit was discovered from the lime.
Second year—The ground began to ferment, which showed, that the lime was in action. The husbandry of flax being then in vogue, it was tried upon this field ; and the crop was excellent, both in respect of flax and seed.
Third year—lt was sown with gray pease after two furrows, which returned a great bulk of straw, but not much grain. The clay part of the field was now quite loose and free, while the moorish soil seemed more compact and firm.
Fourth year—Red wheat was sown, which turned out a bulky crop, though the season was adverse. The straw was hard, bright, reedy, and of great length. Perhaps the greatest quantity of dung applied at once, would not have produced such a crop.
Fifth year—The field was summer-fallowed, but no dung was applied.
Here it may, with justice, be urged, that a great error was committed in withholding dung at this stage ; and it is acknowledged, that a dose of manure, had cir cumstances permitted, could not have been more bene ficially bestowed. In vindication of the management practised, we may only state, that at the period in ques tion, dung was a very scarce article upon the farm; and that many fields would not crop at all, if it was with held. The one under ( onside r.ttinu, appeared quit, capable oi carry ing se I' cal more crops, without assist an•e ; consequently vie \% lug tics economy of the farm as a whole, it was thought prelerahl to act in the man ner descrmed. Many things are effioole in general management, winch cannot he indivutuaily c xecuted ; and, as in public affairs, a partial evil must often be com mitted, ,o promote the general good.
Sixth year—The field was so an oat-, and pro duced a heavy crop, both of straw and corn. (;rays seeds were sown with the oats.
.S'crenth ycar—The field was depastured with cattle. The grass was but indifferent, es loch is a common cir cumstance upon new limed land ; at least where a heat y dose is given. This induced us to plough it again, in the succeeding spring.
_Eighth year—Oats were sown, which yielded a de cent crop.
Ainth year—The field was thoroughly summer-fal lowed and (lunged, at the rate of sixteen double loads to the Scottish acre. Wheat was sown.
Tenth year—The crop of wheat was excellent, being not only bulky, but of fine quality.
Eleventh year—Oats and grass seeds were sown, and the ground surrendered to pasture. Since that time, it has been a kw years under corn ; and though the produce of these crops cannot, by any exertion, be made to equal those which are enumerated ; yet the soil is evidently much improved in every respect, when com pared with its original state, previous to the lime be ing applied.
Field, No. 2. was a real moorish soil, incumbent upon a close bottom, which had been over-cropped after lime, by a former tenant.
We began with a summer-fallow, and applied a pan of the same kind of lime which answered so well upon field No. 1. The lime, was laid on during a hard black frost, at the rate of 35 bolls, or 210 bushels per acre, and was then effete. Oats were sown ; but the crop was a poor one, and the after attempts were not more successful. The stalk of the plant generally singed and decayed, after the strength the seed pickle was gone ; which is a sure proof of ground being worn out with lime. This will always happen, thought in different degrees, upon all such land, unless a considerable quan tity of dung is bestowed ; which unfortunately, in this instance, was not the case.
Field, No. 3.—The soil was of a moorish quality, but superior to that of No. 2.
\Ve 'allowed the field out of grass, and applied lime hot from the kiln ; but the consequences were much the same as mentioned in the preceding instance. The oat-crop looked brisk at first, but decayed daily, as the strength of the pickle was exhausted. Tried dung with a second fallow, when the lime appeared to ope rate in a trilling degree, hut not to that extent as to repay the expense incurred.
Field, No. soil was partly thin clay, the re mainder of a soft sandy nature, but all upon a wet bottom.