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calls mistress of fools) at our own insertion in your valuable Miscellany, proper peril, is of great length.

if you consider it as perfectly consistent with your comprehensive plan, the fruit of my recent labours, in collecting from different historians of undoubted authority and veracity, the high adventures and goodly exploits of the invincible Scanderbeg, and of his worthy and greatly renowned associates in sacred arms.

The following history is a particular and complete descriptive account of what may be termed with strict propriety, not only a just and necessary, but even a HOLY WAR of arms, lawfully taken up in the cause of sacred truth, in the defence of civil and religious liberty, against a proud, cruel, formidable foe, against the circum- It was the fate of the valiant Epirot cised Turks, sworn enemies of the to have to contend (which he did succhristian name and faith, in defence cessfully) with the Turks, when at of a country and its cities, its altars the very zenith of their fame, power, and hearths, preserved solely and ex- grandeur, and victories; and long clusively, under the superintendance before their national courage and and with the help of the divine pro- prowess, their military discipline and vidence, by its own proper forces. It virtue, had begun to exhibit any viis the history of a religious, magnani- sible tokens of decline. In this remous, and warlike prince, complete spect he was unlike to that most cein all virtues civil and military, armed lebrated and extraordinary personage, not only with a perfect well-grounded that impetuous homicide, Pyrrhus, courage, and an invincible constancy his predecessor in the sovereignty of of mind, but with a principle of truly Epirus, who, during two or three pious faith and zeal to a degree almost campaigns, and in several very bloody incredible, and whose exceedingly glo engagements, manifested the most rious victories and essential services eminent skill and the most brilliant to the christian church and common- valour in an offensive war against the wealth, are worthy of transcendant Romans: but it was in the early ages admiration, of eternal fame. It is the of their history, when Rome, afterlife of the great GEORGES CASTRIOT, wards the greatest, most extensive, surnamed by the Turks; SCANDER- and most distinguished city and nation' BEG, OF THE LORD ALEXANDER, King of the world, had only entered into a of Albania, who assumed and most state of adolescence, was then but in justly deserved the name and title of her green and youthful years. ATHLETA CHRISTI, the soldier of As the supereminent qualities and Christ; an agnomination infinitely merit which Scanderbeg possessed, more glorious and lasting than either were most fully displayed in his adthat of Africanus, Asiaticus, Germa- mirable conduct of a defensive war, nicus, or Britannicus; who above all (wherein he is thought as far to excel the other champions of christianity, all the other noblest captains of both shone conspicuous and unrivalled in ancient and modern times, as he did his day; in respect of corporeal and the generality of those who are called mental dexterity, the vigour of his christian princes, in fervent zeal and genius, the fertility of his exquisite unhypocritical devotion) an attempt and versatile imagination, in planning to revive the now almost extinct memartial schemes and stratagems, and mory of his excellent parts, courage, an almost ineffable felicity of good fortune; so that his virtuous actions and illustrious feats in arms, seem to have surpassed even his lofty destinies. A consideration of this, Sir, has induced me to communicate to you, for

successful conduct, &c. will, we presume, be perused with no little avidity by the real amateurs of military politics; will be treated and considered, not as a matter of indifference, but as a subject both delightful and profit

*The editor cannot help remarking here, that he fears the terms "just and necessary," as applied to that great national calamity, war, have been of late much prostituted at least, some wars of our modern days are not free from the strong, probable suspicion of being and having been violently forced, as it were, upon the subject, in conse quence of the depravities, prejudices, follies, pride, and ambition of the princes and rulers, actuated by motives very different from what are avowed, So far are they from appearing obviously and naturally, just and necessary.

able, by all such as, suave mari magno, to their true cause. Science, in ge&c. can find it a pleasure to sit at neral, is found (if not superior to extheir ease upon the land, and observe, perience) at least greatly to aid it. in perfect confidence and security, This it is which has rendered the themselves, how others are tossed up gentleman-farmer not merely a conand down with the blustering winds sistent character, but at once an useupon the troublous seas; who can ful and respectable one. The farmer, contemplate with satisfaction and con- merely as such, can know little of tentment the constancy of mind in chemistry, and can have no very easy the exercise of unshaken, impregnable, access to it. The plain jog-trot farpersevering virtue, wherewith others mer, surrounded by four or five scienhave passed through the fears and tific agriculturists, is left behind at a hopes, the many sufferings, the paius great distance, unless he quit the old, and adventurous dangers, of a military beaten track. He discerns somelife, &c. &c.

(To be continued.)

BOYS, &C. ON PARING AND BURNING

IN HUSBANDRY.

thing more than theory, than mere speculative experiment, in what his neighbours are doing; and though, perhaps, he can save something in the rate of work for hedging, ditching, and mowing, he observes that he is outdone in his crops, as well as in his breed of cattle and swine, by those whom he has formerly been taught to consider as intruders in his way.

THE practice of paring and burning, or in other words, of cutting up the turf or surface of the soil, and by fire reducing it to ashes in the field, has not been so generally adopted as might have been expected, from the So far back as about forty years, advantages some gentlemen have ex- very little was done in actual paring perienced from it. While, on the one and burning; for the simply con hand, some persons are too enthusias- suming couch grass, and other weeds tic in the recommendation of an in- collected in heaps by the harrow, in vention, or a newly revived custom, dry weather, does not in any manner so, on the other, there are as many fall under this description. In cerwho immediately and obstinately set tain districts, or spots of ground, as themselves against every innovation on calcareous unproductive downs, which does not accord with their own for instance, it evidently increased notion of things. This, in a great their fertility; but as it is the fate of measure seems to be the case in the improvement, as well as of error, to present instance. It is not denied, have blind votaries, many persons however, that while a great deal may possessing good land which wanted be allowed in favour of this species of nothing more than to be sown and improvement to Mr. Boys of Bets- kept clean, treated it just as if it had hauger, as well for his reasoning, as been a fungous mossy or rushy soil. for the examples he has furnished of The effect and produce of this new its good effects; yet it is possible kind of labour and management, there may be soils where the same therefore, not answering the unrea treatment may be altogether useless, sonable expectation of those who not to say injurious. Those who adopted them, a check was, as might read his treatise on this part of hus- be expected, given to a practice highbandry, at the end of his " General ly laudable under judicious hands. A View of the Agriculture of the Coun- person of no great extent of underty of Kent," must, however, lie un- standing, may easily conceive that to der an unconquerable prejudice, if treat the rich and rank soils in the vithey cannot discover its great utility cinage of Staines, as the pent lands where improvement is most wanted, about Bagshot, would be absurd in viz. on soils but little productive, and the highest degree. Such absurdity at a distance from cities and large has in some measure prevailed in towns, where alone manure in abun- more than one county, and given rise dance can be procured.

Chemistry has done a great deal for manufactures; it has not done less for agriculture. It has taught its pupils and admirers to trace effects up

to reports of a supposed disadvantage in the practice. As a great many of the best agriculturists of this kingdom are satisfied by the reasoning and experience of Mr. Boys, and others,

with respect to the utility of paring has been practised here uninterruptand burning in certain lands which edly, probably for 2000 years, yet the they describe; we confess ourselves land is no worse than it has always strongly disposed to wish it adopted been." more generally than it is at present. The Marquis Tourbilly says, that As its success may be greater or it has been known from all antiless according to the manner in which quity.". it is performed, we will quote a passage from the author we have mentioned, where he speaks of the varions modes of doing it, first premising a few words on its origin and progress.

The implements employed in paring the land are, 1st, the fen-plough, 2d, the breast plough; 3d, the cobbing hoe; 4th, the common spade; 5th, the prong spade; 6th, the common plough. Mr. Hitt describes the As far back in antiquity as Cato two first with accuracy in his Treaand Palladius, the ashes from burning tise on Husbandry. He says, "There vegetable substances was known to be are two different instruments made a good manure for the land. In the use of for paring: the one is a small thirteenth century, however, Cres- plough, that is worked with a pair of centius writes expressly on the burn- horses, with which a man, in the fens ing the surface in order to improve of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, and the whole soil. He says, "In the Huntingdonshire, will pare two acres groves of the Alps, the trees are,clear- of land in a day.

ed of their small branches in the "These are called Rock-cliff months of May and June, which af- ploughs, but for what reason I am terwards, when dry, are burned in not able to say: the coulter of one of the month of August, and, when in these ploughs is a circular plate of ashes, are ploughed in. Siligo (wheat iron, edged deeply with steel it of a small sort) is sown upon them, moves upon an axis fixed to the beam, which produces that year a very great and cuts the turf about two or three crop; then the land rests for seven inches deep when it is used in the fen years, and is again sown in the same land; the share is about a foot or 14 manner. But, when there are no groves, the grass, with its roots, and some earth, is pared off, and, being dried, is burned; afterwards, upon the ashes and dust of this, siligo is sown, at the season already mentioned. The land is allowed to rest eight years, and then the same work is renewed." Cres. lib. iii. de siligine, P. 90.

Mr. Marshall, in his Rural Economy of Devonshire, says, "This operation in agriculture has been practised, in this western part of the island, from time beyond which neither memory nor tradition reaches. It has probably been imported from the opposite shore on the Continent."

that par

inches wide in the web or fin, but the point is narrow; it is made of the same sort of metal as the coulter; both of them are kept sharp, or else they are not fit for use; for the coulter must either cut the turf extremely clean on one edge, or else the share cannot turn it over; and as the share goes so near the surface, it meets with many strong roots of grass that require a sharp instrument to cut them, This instrument is the most expeditious upon carr or moss land, but not of any use where there are stones or roots of trees."

The other instrument is called by different names in different parts of England: in the north, a floating or paring spade; in some places a breast "Mr. Young, in his Travels in plough; and in others, a denshiring France, vol. ii. p. 138, speaking of shovel, or denshire plough. Tour d'Aigues, fobserves, "The parts which answer for the ing and burning is practised every coulter and share of a plough, are where: and, as in Ireland, in corners, both in one plate, about the thickness holes, wastes, and even ditches, to of a scythe, and of as good metal; the make heaps of manure for their cul- flat, or share part, is somewhat more tivated lands. They are now (Sep- than a foot broad, but the fore part tember) burning every where. The is made with a point; the coulter is a common opinion is very much against part of the plate which forms the it; but the President remarks, that it share; it is turned square, so that it

stands right up when the share is flat upon the ground, and cuts the edge of the turf, as the share does the bottom: there is a socket at the upper end; into it is fixed a shaft of wood about seven feet in length; at the upper end of which is placed a hilt about two feet long, and not thicker than a man can conveniently grasp with either hand, and by that he guides it; and with strongly pushing both thighs against the hilt, he causes the plates to cut the surface of the land, and turns it over in pieces about three feet long; the breadth of each is about a foot, and the thickness one or two inches. It is excessive hard "The common spade is frequently labour; but a good hand will plough used for digging turf from waste about an acre in four days: the fa- banks on side hills, along hedges and bourer has a piece of wool against highways inaccessible to the plough each thigh they strike against. The from situation, or obstructions by hilt of the plough and their under sides are covered with wool, to prevent their bruising the man's flesh." Mr. Boys observes, that in the eastern counties, on chain, soils, having a mixture of flints, the breadth of the fin, or share, is somewhat less, or from 10 to 12 inches, and the pointed projection more angular; by which means the small flints lying in the turf are more easily displaced. In other respects, these implements, he says, are the same as before described by Mr. Hitt.

rough lands covered with heath, furze, brambles, bushes, &c. which, by the resistance of their woody roots in the soil, cannot be pared by the common breast or downshare plough. This implement, and its use, is described by the Marquis of Tourbilly, in his work entitled, "Sur de la Trechemens," p. 29. By his account, it appears very similar to the adz which coopers use in England for hollowing out the inside of the staves of casks. A tool of this kind is used in this county by the labourers for cutting up cakes of turf, from the surface of the heath lands, for fuel.

roots or bushes; and the prong spade is a tool in the shape of a spade, but made with three or four prongs instead of a plate. This is used for digging the turf for burning on the sides of waste banks, highways, &c. where the soil is too full of flints or stones to admit readily the common or plate spade. It is a very useful implement in particular situations, as it enters the ground with much less labour than the common spade, and raises the turf equally well. The turf dug by either spade, is left generally grass upwards, "The usual mode of burning the if cut early in the spring, until there turf cut by the fen plough," says Mr. be a favourable opportunity for dryBoys," is to lay it up in small heaps ing, which is sometimes effected by in the field, generally not more than repeated turnings; at others, it gets ten or twelve feet apart, and then sufficiently dry without any removal; firing the heaps with a few red hot all which depends upon situation, ashes taken from heaps that have been soil, and seasons. When the turf is dry previously fired. It is more conve- enough to burn, it is placed in large nient to the workmen to get it toge- heaps, from four to twenty or more ther in small heaps; but if the heaps cart-loads each, and fired by means of were made at greater distances, and faggots of furze, or any other fuel much larger, there would be more of that happens to be most convenient. the inside, if properly attended, con- More or less firing is required, in verted by the smothering process proportion to the kindliness of the into a carbonaceous substance. The soil for burning, of which an expeashes would then become, as has been before mentioned, a more fertilizing manure; and to the want of this precaution, perhaps, may partly be attributed the mischiefs that some authors have assigned to the practice itself.

"The ecobue, cobbing hoe, or beating axe, is a tool made use of by the French, for cutting and raising up pieces of turf growing on coarse and

VOL. IV.

rienced workman can easily judge. Some sorts of turf are easily fired with only half a pint of red hot ashes being thrown in upon the heap, and instantly covered with a piece of turf: while others require a faggot or two of wood, and no small degree of discretion in disposing it properly. Chalky soils generally burn readily. The best method of placing the turf dug with the spade for burning, is to

lay it as close as possible, in order to of turf burnt. This same agricultur keep out any draught of air through ist observes, that, in some instances, the heap, as otherwise the force of the he has made from four to five hunfire is apt to escape outwardly, and a dred cart-loads of ashes per acre. partial burning only effected; but if the turf lies close, and the fire is kept in by stopping the places where it breaks through, and covering the whole with fine mould and ashes, affer the heap is thoroughly alight, it never fails to burn well: even if great showers of rain fall, the great mass of burning matter will convert almost any quantity of rain into vapour.

The price of digging and burning turf in East Kent, a few years ago, was 6d. per cart-load of 30 bushels, but now it is advanced to gd. and (Mr. B. observes) where the soil is difficult to dig and burn, 1s. per load has been given. The price of downsharing with the breast plough, and which includes paring and burning, is advanced now to about 40s. a little more or less.

The advantages of this branch of husbandry are most conspicuous (as before hinted at) on old chalky down lands, sheep walks, and wastes covered with heath, fern, and bushes. Such turf is generally replete with the sperm of insects, and seeds of weeds, which, instead of remaining a troublesome

"The last implement to mention, and perhaps in many situations the best instrument for the purpose, is the common plough, By using it, the business proceeds with greater dispatch, and is attended with less expence for the cutting part, though more for burning; but then there is the great advantage of having much of nuisance in the soil, is, by this brief the soil, which is not burned, pulver- and not expensive process, converted ized and prepared for the ensuing into a fertilizing manure. Such crops, an advantage not attainable by heaths, downs, &c. when pared and the breast or denshire plough."

There are various methods of ploughing turf for burning, an operation of the same nature with paring, but a degree beyond it. On lands infested with hassock grass and deeprooted weeds, the benefit of the practice has been exceedingly great. The best season for this work is when the weather sets in dry in the spring. Mr. Boys recommends laying the land in narrow ridges, about 18 inches in width, with the turnwrest plough, then slightly harrow it down, and afterwards plough it in the same manner crossways at right angles, finishing the whole by cleaving with the plough these last made ridges down the middle. By this process the turf will be nearly all brought to the surface, and after a few dry days be in a good state for burning. Mr. Boys says, he has frequently had this work of burning done at a guinea per acre; which includes the laying up the turf in heaps, firing it, and cleansing the hills when burnt of the loose bits of turf from the outsides, which have escaped the fire, and re-firing them on the crowns of the hills, so as to burn the whole completely. Since the enhanced value of husbandry labour, this work has cost from 30s. to 40s. per acre, in proportion to the quantity

burned early in the summer, and twice ploughed, become, however poor, a fine tilth for turnips, a crop of which can hardly ever be obtained ont such lands by any other management. It is needless to speak of the great benefit of these, both to the cultivator and the soil, by affording food for sheep during three or four of the worst months in winter. But that is not all; for the land, before too light, is, by folding or feeding the sheep on the ground, rendered more firm by their treading on it, and further enriched by the animals' dung and urine, and makes an excellent tilth for barley or oats, which, if sown early, and kept clean from weeds, will, in all probability, produce a crop equal in value to the fee simple of it in its original state. By the improved system of cropping, it is well known that a good piece of turnips will in a great measure insure crops for several seasons after; as the clover sown with the barley, by making a good lay, offers, when broken up, a good prospect for a crop of wheat.

Many have asserted, that paring and burning old sheep downs, and putting them into a state of cultivation, reduces the number of sheep before kept on those lands; and that thereby the produce of the wool, (the

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