SECTION X.

NOTE I. Page 276.

"Shows," as the refuse of a flax-mill is usually called, in this part of the kingdom, when freed of dust and other impurities, form an excellent thatch for houses, the peculiar qualities of which I shall mention here, for the benefit of those, who may not have experienced their utility for that object.

Five-and-twenty years since, when no value was put on this useful article, it was generally thrown into the river or stream, on which the flax-mill was situated, and carried away by the next flood. Observing, that when Shows abounded, the people about the mill used to throw them on the roofs of the sheds, where they seemed completely to turn the rain, I believe I was the first, or among the first, who thought of applying them to the roofs of cottages. Accordingly, expert persons were set to work to draw, and bundle them up, like straw used for thatch; and the Shows were put on, about twelve inches thick, either by sewing them with marline, or otherwise, by superinducing them on a thin coat of turf, as is often done in Scotland. About the same time, likewise, was contrived a wooden tool, of about fourteen inches long, but of the rudest sort, named a Comb, for smoothing the thatch, after being fixed on, and laid with the hand, which soon brought it to a fine surface.

This covering was, of course, white, and, when first put on, was extremely beautiful. And although it might be supposed inflammable in its nature, and therefore hazardous on account of fire, yet it turned out, on trial, to be quite otherwise: For, as the Shows lost their light colour, and became brown by the weather, they soon obtained a skin so hard and smooth, as equally to resist wet and drought. Even live coals might be thrown upon it without danger. In so far, then, this covering

has been found superior to straw, which is easily ignited, while, in point of durability, it greatly exceeds the latter. From any information that can be obtained from the flax-dressers, respecting the roofs of their sheds, it appears, that they will turn rain for forty years or more. Of that sort of duration, however, I can say nothing, from my own experience: But on cottage-roofs, when the thatching was properly executed, I can answer for more than twenty years, with very little repair being wanted.

At first, this sort of thatch could be procured at a small expense, merely that of drawing or preparing the material; but, now, since it has got into some repute in this district, about a third part more than the price of straw is usually paid for the Shows. As a substantial and durable covering for houses, however, I can much recommend it, and especially in situations, where roofs are exposed externally to danger from fire. But it is to be observed, that this remark applies to the outside only; for internally, and on the under side of the thatch, which is beyond the action of the atmosphere, it does not lose its character as Tow, and is very easily ignited.

NOTE II. Page 294.

As the banks of the Clyde, in this immediate neighbourhood, and the rich vale of the Tay, or Carse of Gowrie in Perthshire, are celebrated for their orchards, the hint here given, respecting a method of manuring them, superior to the one commonly practised, may perhaps be worthy the attention of the owners or occupiers of such grounds, and it shall have a cursory notice in this place. In the district between Lanark and Hamilton alone, in a favourable season, the value of the fruit carried to Glasgow and elsewhere, independently of what is consumed on the spot, amounts to not less than between £3000 and £4000.

In these orchards, which are, in general, extremely well managed, the Trees are planted in rows, about forty feet distant from one another, and from fifteen to twenty from plant to plant. When the ground is to be manured, which must be repeated from time to time, in order to refresh and invigorate the roots, the practice usually is, to dig in Farm-yard Dung over the whole

surface, and to take a crop of Potatoes; or sometimes to ridge in the dung, in the line of the intended Potatoe drills. Now, instead of this, let half the quantity of dung be taken, and made up according to Lord Meadowbank's method, with a like quantity of Peat-moss, which last is to be had at no unattainable distance from any of these orchards. If the peat be in a very advanced state of decomposition (from having been wheeled out the year before, or any other cause), then only one-third part of dung will be required, and two-thirds of peat. Let a trench then be opened, in the centre between the rows, four, or four-and-a-half feet wide, and cut as deep nearly as the depth of the trenched ground, or stirred earth, of which the orchard-soil has been originally formed, say from sixteen to eighteen inches. Let the contents be thrown up in the autumn, and spread out, in order to become friable by the winter's frost. In the month of March following, mix this earth, as intimately as possible, with the dung-compost, so prepared and fermented as above, turn it twice, and spread the whole round each Tree in the rows.

From what I know respecting the quantity of dung employed, according to the ordinary method, the large portion of peaty earth, with which it is to be mixed, added to the contents of the trench, I am led to believe, that, if very intimately mixed, it will form a mass of materials, well calculated to enlarge the pabulum of the Trees, to a considerable extent. If the soil be clayey (which is often the case in these orchards), and sand be at no great distance, it would be a sensible improvement, to add a fourth part of that earth to the entire mass, even though in a state of considerable purity, and of itself incapable of producing vegetation. Let the whole then be regularly spread round each Tree, beginning at the stem, at six or eight inches deep, as you can afford it, and ending at two inches; and lastly, let it be pointed with the spade, to the depth of two inches only, into the original soil. Thus, a circuit will be covered of twelve feet or more out from the Tree, or as far as the branches extend. Lastly, let the new surface be levelled with the rake, and sown down with grass-seeds.

It will suffice to give the Trees a supply of fine mould such as this, once in seven or eight years; and, when that is laid on, if attention be paid to give the whole surface of the orchard a

good top-dressing for grass, in the ordinary manner, I could venture to promise, that the superior produce, by the second year, in Hay and Fruit, will amply repay the extra expense and labour attending the work. Should this expense be grudged, and brought into a disadvantageous comparison with the immediate return from the Potatoe Crop, the following method may be tried:

Let the central trench be opened, as already directed, and the contents rendered friable, by a sufficient exposure to the elements. Let one fourth part of quick-lime (that is Lime-shells), in the succeeding spring, after being well slacked, twice turned, and brought to the most powdery state possible, be applied to the contents of the trench, and intimately mixed with them, observing that, by twice turning at least, the minutest comminution of the parts takes place. Let this compost then be spread round the stems of the Trees, pointing it in with the spade, as before, two inches deep, and sowing down with grass-seeds, in a similar manner.

This species of top-dressing, though less expensive, will not pay nearly so well as the other, in proportion to the money laid out; but that will not probably amount to more than one-third of the former cost. In either case, the pabulum of the Tree will be surprisingly enlarged, and in a way far more effective, than by any digging among the roots; while no injury will be done, by the former method, to the numerous, minute, and ca pillary fibres, which, in every case, form the true absorbents of the root.

To the Fruit-borders of a kitchen-garden, the same sort of management may be very successfully applied. But, in that view, I should recommend, that the compost be made up of one fourth part of Coal-ashes, completely freed of cinders, and three-fourths of any tolerable soil. The whole should be prepared, in the manner already more than once directed in the text, for planting, and also for invigorating Trees, in the open park. If the Fruit Trees to be manured be planted against a wall, the compost should cover the space of ten feet out: If they be in the open borders, six feet may sufficiently answer the purpose. This practice will by no means preclude the cultivation of leguminous crops, those especially, of which the

roots run near the surface, and which should always be preferred for such situations.

NOTE III. Page 295.

As the great object about all places, whether to the husbandman, or to the arboriculturist, should be to encrease the quantity of disposable manure, it has been found by experience, that the juice or exudation from the Dunghill may be far more advantageously employed for that purpose, than for watering the roots of Trees. From this rule, however, we must always except the roots of Vines in the Hothouse; for no superior method has ever been found, of giving an immediate stimulus to the growth of those plants.

The object, to which I here allude, that is, the mode of employing the juices of the Dunghill, was, I believe, first suggested by the late Lord Meadowbank, to whom alone we are indebted for the discovery of the method of converting Peat into manure, by means of fermentation. The object is, to water peaty earth, if in a very decomposed state, and so produce excellent manure within a short period. That this liquid will decompose pure Peat itself, we are well aware; but much time and patience would be necessary to decompose it to any extent, and also a greater command of the liquid, than could be easily procured. Whoever has peat-moss at hand, however, should not omit, when his dung-yard is cleared out, to lay a stratum of it at the bottom, so that, when the contents are taken out some months after, it will be found as valuable a manure, as any other in his possession.

Every diligent Arboriculturist, and every one residing at a distance from a town or considerable village, where dung can be purchased at pleasure, should have a Well or Pit at the lower side of his dung-yard, to which the juice naturally tends, and without which great loss of a valuable substance is always suffered, especially in rainy weather. This pit should be carefully lined with dry-stone, and secured underneath, and at the sides, with a good wall of well-made clay-puddle, a foot thick. It should have erected in it a Pump of cast-iron (for wood, in