covered with heath, and not exceeding two shillings and sixpence per acre, on an average value. The number of Scottish acres contained in the ground, which consisted of two plots or divisions, the Tor-hill, aud the Law-park, was sixty one. According to the measurement of Mr. Oman, land surveyor, the medium elevation of the Tor-hill, from the water-level to the top, is four hundred and twenty-two feet. The ascent in a right line continues at an elevation of twenty-five degrees, to the extent of two hundred and sixty-four feet, from which it continues to the distance of one thousand and eighty-two feet, at an elevation of seventeen degrees. The quantity of ground reduced to a state of culture during the first year, was fifteen acres; during the second, twenty-five; and during the third year twenty-one. The ground was ploughed at intervals of leisure during the summer months, and suffered to remain in that condition till after the harvest, when it was manured with lime, in the proportion of twenty bolls of shells to the Scottish acre. The boll of lime contains six Winchester bushels. From the situation of the ground, it was ploughed with a single furrow, in an oblique direction, from right to left. Small's plough, drawn by two horses, was employed; but in the most elevated parts, where the soil was light and shallow, the small Scottish plough appeared preferable. Shell lime costs 1s. 2d. per boll, at the lime-works; but as these are sixteen miles distant, the expense of carriage may be estimated at 1s. ild. per boll. Lime was preferred to dung as a manure, from the superior facility with which, on account of its inferior weight, it could be carried to so great a height, and spread over the ground. It was brought in carts to the most accessible part of the ground, and dragged up the ascent by doubling the number of horses, or yoking the horses of two carts to one. It was then brought to the steepest parts of the ploughed ground in a sledge without poles, moved by dragropes, and termed a slipe. The lime was laid upon the ground during the winter, and in the spring the land was ploughed a second time from left to right, and then sown with oats. After being ploughed from right to left, as at first, a second crop of oats was raised upon it. The next crop was of pease, raised after ploughing in a straight direction down the hill; and in 1801, the same piece of ground was sown with rough barley, or big, and grass seeds, in order to convert it into pasture. In the oat crops, Mr. Allan sowed at the rate of one boll to the acre, and reaped at an average seven bolls. In the pease crop, he sowed three firlots and two pecks on the acre, and reaped at an average eight bolls. The average expence of manure and labour may be estimated from between three pounds fifteen shillings to four pounds the Scottish acre, By a similar process, Mr. Allan intends to convert the whole piece of ground into pasture. After two crops of oats, divisions of between thirteen and fifteen acres may be sown with turnips, broad-cast, and eaten on the ground by sheep; by which the process of conversion may perhaps be accelerated. The average value of the land in this state of improvement, is estimated at the rate of between fifteen and twenty shilings per acre. 1 The land (sixty-one acres) which Mr. Allan thus first brought into culture, has ever since remained in grass, and maintained its estimated value. Mr. Mr. Allan has continued to prose- make them as durable as they were cute the same plan of improvement prior to the fracture. on the ground adjoining to the parks already mentioned, which, although Receipt for making the Cement. they appeared equally discouraging, from the ruggedness of the surtace, Boil two quarts of tar with two and their being covered with strong ounces of kitchen grease, for a quarheath, promise a more ample remu- ter of an hour, in an iron pot. Add neration to his industry, from the some of this tar to a mixture of circumstance of the declivity being slaked lime, and powdered glass, less abrupt, and the soil, on being which have passed through a four cleared of stones, proving consider- sieve, and been dried completely ably deeper. He has already broken over the fire in an iron pot; in the up a greater extent of this kind of proportion of two parts of lime and land than what is contained in the one of glass, till the mixture beTor-hill and Law-parks; and, with comes of the consistence of thin that spirit which characterises all bis plaster. improvements, he has, by way of The cement must be used imineexperiment, sown an acre with wheat, diately after being mixed, and therewhich now (end of June, 1806) pro- fore it is proper not to mix more of mises equally well with most of the it at a time than will coat one square wheat on the lower grounds in that foot of wall, since it quickly beneighbourhood. comes too hard for use, and continues to increase its hardness for three weeks. Great care must also be Method of curing damp Walls, by taken to prevent any moisture from the Application of a Composition mixing with the cement. invented by Mr. Charles Wilson, For a wall which is merely damp, of Worcester-street, near Union it will be sufficient to lay on one Hall, Borough. coating of the cement, about one[From the Transactions of the Society of the wall be more than damp, or wet, eighth of an inch thick ; but should Arts, &c.] it will be necessary to coat it a seI beg leave to lay before the So- cond time. ciety of Arts, &c. a cement, which, Plaster, made of lime, hair, and I trust, will be found of great utility plaster of Paris, may be afterwards in curing damp walls, in flooring laid on the cement. damp kitchens, and for various other purposes, where the prevention of Mrs. Ann Kemmish, King-street, wet is necessary. Borough; Mr. Boone, GregoryThis cement, when put in water, place; and Mr. Thomas Cannadine, will suffer neither an increase nor Hook's Gardens, Tooley-street, bave diminution in its weight ; and it has certified that Mr. Wilson's cement the peculiar advantage of joining has been used with effect, on damp Portland stone, or marble, so as to walls belonging to thein. a 3 K9 Method Method of cleansing Silk, Woollen, and Cotton Goods, without Damage to the Texture or Colour. By Mrs. Anne Morris, of Unionstreet, near Middlesex Hospital. [From the same. ] Take raw potatoes, in the state they are taken out of the earth, wash them well; then rub them on a grater over a vessel of clean water to a fine pulp, pass the liquid matter through a coarse sieve into another tub of clear water; let the mixture stand till the fine white particles of the potatoes are precipitated, then pour the mucilaginous liquor from the fecula, and preserve this liquor for use. The article to be cleaned should then be laid upon a linen cloth on a table, and having provided a clean sponge, dip the sponge in the potatoe-liquor, and apply the sponge thus wet upon the article to be cleaned, and rub it well upon it with repeated portions of the potatoe-liquor, till the dirt is perfectly separated; then wash the article in clean water several times, to remove the loose dirt; it may afterwards be smoothed or dried. Two middle-sized potatoes will be sufficient for a pint of water. The white fecula which separates in making the mucilaginous liquor, will answer the purpose of tapioca, will make an useful nourishing food with soup or milk, or serve to make starch or hair-powder. The coarse pulp which does not pass the sieve is of great use in cleaning worsted curtains, tapestry, carpets, or other coarse goods. The mucilaginous liquor of the potatoes will clean all sorts of silk, cotton, or woollen goods, without hurting the texture of the articles, or spoiling the colour. It is also useful in cleansing oilpaintings, or furniture that is soiled. Dirty painted wainscot may be cleaned by wetting a sponge in the liquor, then dipping it in a little fine clean sand, and afterwards rubbing the wainscot therewith. Various experiments were made by Mrs. Morris, in the presence of a Committee, at the Society's house: the whole process was performed before them upon fine and coarse goods of different fabricks, and to their satisfaction. MISCELLANEOUS HINTS. A cheap Substitute for Tea, more particularly recommended to the poorer classes of Society.-White Pease, baked in an oven till they are brown throughout; grind and boil them as you do coffee, or rather more. The person who recommends the above considers it his duty to make it more public, as it has been highly approved of by many of his friends, who declare they cannot find any difference between this and real coffee.-N. B. When they are warni, a small piece of butter is necessary to mix with them, to prevent their burning. Substitute for Barm, which may prove generally useful.-To a pint of fresh beer, or porter, put a table spoonful of brown sugar, and as much flour as will convert it to the consistence of a batter; put the mixture into a small jar or bottle, corking it close, as it is apt to fly. Shake it well twice a day, for six days, it will then be fit for use. The above will work 14 pounds of flour: -leave about a tea-cup fall in the bottle, and add the same quantity of beer, sugar, and flour; it will be fit for use in three days. Leave the barm to spunge with the flour some time in the day, make the bread at night, and bake it early next morning. The barm is to be beaten up with a little warm water, to spunge in the flour as soon as it is out of the jar, and left for about six hours before the bread is made. A receipt for curing Butter, preferable to the common method, communicated by a Gentleman of veracity, who has used it for some length of time.-Take one half ounce of common salt, one fourth ounce of saltpetre, and one fourth ounce of moist sugar; pound them together, and use them in the proportion of one ounce to the pound of butter. On trial, it will be found that butter thus prepared will keep any length of time, and have a much finer flavour than butter salted in the usual manner. Milk.-Among the modern improvements in farming, the dairy has, of late years, been very much neglected. So much of the profit of breeders depending upon the facility with which the milk of the cow may be reserved during the suckling-time of the calf, the following substitute, used in Germany, for the natural food of the young progeny, may be acceptable to our country readers. Let as much water be heated on the fire as the calf would be disposed to drink; and, when it boils, throw one or two handfuls of oatmeal into it, and after continuing in that state for one minute, take it off, and let it be cooled to the temperature of new milk, when one or two pints of skimmed milk are to be added to it. With this beverage, the young animal will fatten and thrive prodigiously; the milk of the parent will be applied to the dairy, and the intelligent farmer will immediately discover the great advantage to be derived, in the produce of the dairy, from such an expedient. Horse Chesnuts.-In Turkey these nuts are ground and mixed with the provender for horses, particularly for such as are broken-winded or troubled with coughs. After being boiled a little to take off the bitterness, bruised and mixed with a small quantity of barley meal, they are good food for rearing and fattening poultry. Oil Cakes given to milch cows, add considerably to the quantity and richness of the milk, without affecting its flavour. Mr. Curwen grinds it, mixes it in layers, and boils it with the chaff; by which means half the quantity answers better than as much more given in the cake. Culture of Potatoes.-A member of the Agricultural Society of Greenock made the following experiment :-The first year," he says, "I cut the potatoes in three pieces, the top, the middle, and the bottom parts, and planted these in three rows. The top plant was ten days earlier than the middle plant, and a much greater crop; the middle plant was earlier than the bottom and a better crop; the bottom produced but a very indiferent crop. For. some seasons past I have only set the top eyes, and I believe have the best crop and driest potatoes in the country; nor do I think there is any waste in doing so; for I find the potatoe keeps the better by having a cut taken off it." Parpoutier, a celebrated French 3K4 chemist, chemist, has discovered a new species of utility, besides its nutritive powers, in the potatoe; and his discovery has been proved in England by stucco-plasterers. From the starch of potatoes, quite fresh, and washed but once, a fine size, by mixture with chalk, has been made, and in a variety of instances successfully used, particularly for ceilings. This species of size has no smell; while animal size, putrifying so readily, uniformly exhales a most disagreeable and unwholesome odour; the size of potatoes, being very little subject to putrefaction, appears from experience to prove more durable in tenacity and whiteness, and, for white-washing should always be preferred to animal size, the decomposition of which always exhibits proof of infectious effluvia. According to a very curious calculation, it has been ascertained, that an acre of land planted with potatoes will produce sufficient food for 16,875 healthy men for one meal; while an acre of wheat will not feed more than 2,745. The expence of cultivating the potatoes is estimated at 121. 1s. and that of the wheat at 11). 15s. In the year 1806, there were grown on moss-land, at Castle Head, never before cultivated, carrots, which in one square yard (tried in several parts of the field) weighed 471b. Half an acre produced, on the average, 9 tons, 4 cwt. 2 qrs. 16lb. carrots, which, at 4s. per cwt. would amount to 361.18s. 6d. The quantity of potatoes growing on four statute acres of the same field was 690 bushels. The rows were, four feet asunder. AGRICULTURE.-A great improvement has recently been made in the cultivation of the marsh and moss lands within the townships of Overton, Middleton, Heaton, and Heysham, near Lancaster, from the discovery of a bed of sea sand of an unknown depih, lying about three feet below the surface of the earth. The farmers dig pits in the form of marl-pits, and after taking off the soil and a stratum of blue clay, about two feet and a half in thickness, they arrive at the sand, which being spread upon the surface of the earth, mixes with and loosens the soil, before too stiff for agricultural purposes, and couverts it into the best arable land in the neighbourhood, being capable of bearing four or five successive crops of grain without manure. M. Leroi, who has made many successful experiments in agriculture, advises persons by no means to procure grain for sowing from a soil north of their own land, but from a country south of it; because he says it is a general rule, that the product of seed improves in going from south to north, and that it decreases in virtue in going from north to south. The Fly in Turnips.-Sir J. W. Jervis, of Ireland, has tried successfully to prevent this wide-spreading mischief, by sowing flour of sulphur with the seed. This, it is found, destroys the ova of the insect, by which the damage is occasioned. To keep Cows from Corn.-Take a quart of train oil, as much turpentine, and bruised gunpowder; boil them together, and when hot, dip pieces of rags in the mixture, and fix them on sticks in the field. About four are sufficient for an acre of corn. Receipt for the management of Sheep, by Mr. Fair, late overseer at Pencaitland.-Immediately after the sheep |