On Sea-Treed, or .11ga Marina.
Sea-weed, a plant that grows upon rocks within the sea, is driven ashore after storms, and is found to be an excellent article for manuring light and dry soils, though of little advantage to those of a clayey description. This article may be applied on the proper soil with advantage to any crop, and its effects are immediate, though rarely of long continuance. As the coast-sidle lands of the island are, in every case, of superior fertility to those that are inland, we may attribute this superior fertility to the great quantity of manure found upon their shores after every storm or high tide, whereby the resources of the ocean are in a manner brought forward for the enrichment of the lands locally situated for participa ting in such benefits. The utmost attention has long been paid to the gathering and laving on of this valuable manure ; and, from the extensive line of British shores, both of the main sea and of the numerous estuaries which indent, and as it were divide the main land, an immense quantity of sea-weed must annually be collected from them.
Sea-weed is applied at all seasons to the surface, and sometimes, though not so profitably, it is mixed with unrotten dung, that the process of putrefaction may be hastened. Generally speaking, it is at once applied to the soil, which saves labour, and prevents that degree of waste, which otherwise Mould necessarily happen. Sea-weed is, in one respect, preferable to the richest dung ; because it does not produce such a quantity of weeds. Sonic hate twilight, that the weeds upon land, which has received (tong, are produced by seeds mixed with the dung ; but it is reasonable to presume, that the salts contained in sea-weed, and applied with it, may be the real cause of the after-cicanlMess. This may he in ferred from the general state of coast-side lands, where sea-weed is used. These lands arc almost constantly kepi in tillage, and yet are cleaner and freer from weeds, than those in inland situations, where corn crops are nut so often taken.
Clay soils are not so much benefited by sea-weed, as those of a light nature ; but whether this is owing to the properties of clay being unfriendly to the admission of the salts contained in sea-weed, or to soils of that des cription being generally in a state, when this substance is thrown ashore, which physically unfits them for par ticipating of benefit from the application, is not com pletely ascertained. The fact, however, is certain, that
clay soils are little benefited by sea-weed, though per haps the poaching of carts and horses upon them, in wet stormy weather, may, in sonic measure, be assigned as the true cause why the same benefit is not gained. When dung is carted out on clay soils, in a wet state, we know, that the advantage from it is not so great, as when the surface is in condition to bear the pressure of the carriages ; though, from that result, no person would he justified, in maintaining, that these soils were con stitutionally disqualified to receive benefit from dung. When a coast-side farm contains mixed soils, the best management is exercised, be applying sea-weed to dry, and dung to clay-land. In this way, the Inn advantage of manure may be obtained, and a farm so circum stanced is of infinitely greater value, with respect to man tiring and labouring, than one M hich contains no such variety.
It has lately been suggested by Sir John Sinclair, Bart. and other eminent agriculturists, that sea-weed pos sesses a virtue not foi !licitly assigned to it ; namely, that it is eminently beneficial in preserving wheat from be ing mildewed, which, were the fact sufficiently ascer tained, would be an addition to our stock of agricultural know ledge, of great importance. Where sea-weed is applied, there can be no doubt that the soil is thereby greatly strengthened, becoming firmer, and, of course, better adapted for preserving the roots of the plant from injury, and For furnishing a regular supply of food. This length we can safely go, as we believe that such an opinion accords entirely with the general sentiments of agricul turists. Thinking, however, that mildew proceeds en tirely from it diseased atmosphere, we are at a loss to find out how sea-weed, at the root of the plant, can act as a preventive against that disease, in any other way, that what is already mentioned ; that is, by consolidating the surface, and giving greater strength to the plants, in consequence of which, they are enabled to resist the Un healthiness of the atmosphere. Comparing the opera tion of sea-weed, with that of dung, it will be found that the effect of the latter is to loosen the soil, and to make it more friable ; consequently, as always happens, fields, which have received the greatest quantity of dung, are always most susceptible of mildew. ' OH Paring and Burning Mc .%'ailice, and using th,..1.5h,;. a.s. rt :Urinary.