of reclaiming Bogs. The potatoe is a bacciferous herb, with efculent roots, bearing winged leaves, and a bell flower. They were originally brought from Virginia by Sir Walter Raleigh, who ftopping in Ireland, fome were planted here, which answered the husbandman's most fanguine expectations; there are several kinds, viz. the kidney potatoe, yellow and white, flat and shaped like a kidney-bean; 2d. the round white potatoe, 3d. the large yellow potatoe, called in Dublin the Munfter potatoe; 4th. the round red; and 5th. the black and blue fkin potatoes.

Tillage was held in the highest esteem in all wife ftates: in Egypt it was the particular object of government and policy; in Affyria and Perfia the Satrapæ were rewarded or punished according as the lands in their refpective governments were well or ill tilled; and Dion. Halicarn. in his Antiq. Rom. lib. 2. p. 135. informs us that Numa Pompilius, an eminent king, had an account rendered him in what manner the feveral diftricts in the Roman teritories were cultivated. The city of Syracufe on account of its immenfe riches, magnificent buildings, its powerful armaments by fea and land, is justly celebrated by the antient hiftorians, as it was raised by its wonderful industry in agriculture. It is univerfally acknowledged that no countries in the world were richer and more populous than thefe; and it must

be

t

be allowed, that the ftrength of a state is not to be computed by extent of country, but by the number and labour of its inhabitants. Agriculture, it must be confeffed, is, in a manner, the prima materia of all commerce, yet the farmer will find a vent for his commodities to be as neceffary to his end, as his knowledge in the methods of raifing them; for this reafon he ought to inform himself how his commodities may be fold in the best manner, which he may do by framing his notions according to a past fcarcity of this or that commodity, or a probability of future demand for it; for could we be prevailed upon to provide fufficiently for our own confumption in the article of bread corn, we might from the favourablenefs of the foil of Ireland in a fhort time be able to fupply others and render the balance of trade, at prefent much against us, greatly in our favour, as is explained more fully in an excellent pamphlet intitled the Lift of Abfentees, with Observations on Trade, as published in Dublin in 1769, by the ingenious Mr. Morris,

With regard to experiments in agriculture, which have of late been made in this kingdom, there are many which have done honour to the inventor, particularly those of the late Mr. Baker of Laughlinftown, near Dublin, under the patronage and direction of the Dublin Society; but it must be confeffed that the generality of our farmers are

apt

apt to conceive that they have already brought the bufinefs of tillage to perfection; but would they put in practice fuch truly ufeful hints as have been, or may be communicated, we fhould not have fuch fre quent complaints of the mifcarriage of their experiments; but many of them will not quit their old beaten track, though urged by the most powerful arguments founded upon reafon and backed by the experience of wife and faithful perfons. And were our fisheries, that treafure which Providence has thrown at our doors, more attended to, it would undoubtedly be of great and important advantages to Ireland.

With regard to the different kinds of manure, made use of in Ireland, I fhall briefly relate fuch particular properties of them, as may conduce to the advantage of the farmer, &c. Of Sand. The propereft fort for manure is that taken up on the fea coaft, which is a compofition of fea fhells, feveral kinds of ftones, as parts of lime-ftone, fpars, free-ftone, &c. But it differs in its qualities in feveral bays, for in Dungarvan harbour the fand is of a light grey colour and weighty; the greater part of its compofition are particles of lime ftone, the fand affording line by calcination, and alfo abounds with grains of fpar or tranplarent flint, and thefe have been experienced on many occafions useful in improving land. The fand of Youghall harbour, is of a red

difh

dish colour, and being taken up near the Black-water river, its falts being washed off renders it not so ufeful as the other, for the fand juft drained from the falt water, so that it can be conveniently carried, is better than that which lies long expofed to the weather; but throughout this kingdom those who refide within a few miles of the fea coaft would find their advantage in proportion to the ufe of the fea fand or manuring with fhells, which is more particularly recommended in Rowland's Agriculture, printed in Dublin in 1769, and Dr. Cox, in the Philofophical Tranfactions.

Earth being a compofition of gravel fand, and clay, yet clay without fand and gravel to open it, is unfit for the purpofe of vegetation, and fo are likewife mere gravel and fand without clay. Many have made use of falts in opening clay inftead of gravel or fand; thus, gravel, clay, fand and falts are to each other proper manures, as their proportions vary, and accordingly it is the practice to manure with fand, fea-fhells, lime, falts, afhes, &c. Pure fandy foils are feldom to be met with in this kingdom, but wherever they occur, a mixture of clay is undoubtedly the propereft manure, as is related in the Philofophical Transactions, abridged by Lowthorp, &c. vol. 2. p. 781.

In very few places in Ireland lime is burnt for manure, but where it is neceffary kilns are fo easily erected, that the country peo

ple

ple build them, occafionally themselves. An act of parliament having restrained in fome measure the burning of land, therefore that practice is but little used here; but where it is actually neceffary, this method of burning it is recommended-The ground is to be raised up with a plow, then the workman is to lift up the fore part of the fod with the graffer, the fides of it having been first cut with the plow; thus, all coarse, rough, moffy and heathy grounds may be burned. Every field carries its own manure for that time; but more than two crops ought not to be taken off, and the next year to fallow, manure the ground, and fo leave it in heart; for it is highly improper when a farmer cuts up and burns fods, which are one or two thirds of the foil, for then befides the confumption of the ground, he forces too great a quantity of falts for the prefent, and ftarves the remaining crops. The fires ought to be as numerous as poffible; whereby a more equal fertility will follow, it being great indifcretion to have large heaps, for the fire cannot then draw to them the juices of the contiguous earth. The heaps ought not to be fuffered to lay long on the ground, but to spread them as foon as the hills are well burned and to cover them with the other foil, thereby the hot afhes will deftroy the vermin and the feeds of noxious plants, they will likewife warm the earth and expel the barren juices. By adhering to

this