22

A Philosophical Discourse

heaps for some time, will be much improv’d with spreading; lastly - :sow it over with Hay Seeds.

But the Cure is yet easier, if the Land lie considerably sloping;

and

if it happen to be a planted Ground, then cut your Trench deeper thanthe Roots of your Trees, and apply the forelaid Rubbiso to interceptthe Moisture. About the latter end of OElober , trench the Ground allover, for near a foot and a half in depth, and when you are come with 10three or four foot of the Stem, cut off all their larger Roots, sloping i n *wards, sparing only the Fibres , and such of them as you find tender,and about as big as your Finger; leaving also the more perpendicularto keep the Tree steady: This done, cast in some Rubbiso of Br<(Cisbats , Limestone ( not Chalk ) and other materials, that the MouWmay lie easy about them, and with a mixture of good Earth, plenty 01rotten Stubble, or other Soil, apply it near the Root, and sill y° usTrench with the rest; and if your Ground require it, (as being t0 °cold it commonly does ) add to your Compost the Dung of Shets‘Pigeons or ‘Poultry very well conl'um’dAnd because Moss is osiers 1caused by starving and wet Grounds, than by hot and over-dry, (/° rboth produce it) the Cure is likewise to be effected by Ablaqueat0<and baring the Roots, as above ; and for the latter, by a mixture 0Loam , with the scouring of Pond or Ditch Earth , which of it fell lSthe most excellent manure; and the planting your Trees at greater iu teIvals, for admission of Air and Sun ; since the scraping of it off (may also be done in wet Weather) is but temporary, and if notingelse be perform’d, it will be sure to grow again. And here upon obl es ^vation, how Men carbonate and cut so many Rills, and narrowches irregularly crossing one another, to drain their Meadows and 1°''Grounds, ( which take not up a little part of the Turf) I should rath ^recommend the cutting of ib large a Trench through the whole lenSof the Pan and bottom of the Ground, and of competent depth)receive and drain the weeping Springs, instead of those frequent Sl al ^and Gutters I have mention’d ; since besides the Beauty of the 'the profit of th z FiJb, &c. the Earth and Mud cast out on bothand spread upon the depressed and lower parts of the Ground, wist ^only raise the unprofitable Marsh, but thereby improve it for P a st v ‘One needs go no farther to fee the effects of this Husbandry, than to ’James's Park , where before the Canal , I remember all that pleuinValley, now yielding most rich Pasturage, (with the Fijh, , Jsand Walks planted with fragrant Lime ) was nothing but a noises j,wholsom Bog, and Morass of Moss and Rusoes. The use of the C P^is for this Work the molt expeditious, and cheaper than the ^

which after every Journey of the first, will be necessary to cast andout the loosen’d Earth on both sides, to fill up the Hollows and s^f ^lures of the Grounds and with the Rake to trim the Banks, andrest as is requisite .* This undertaken in dry Summer-weather, the \ ^)still succeeding the Spade , (till the Channel be of convenient °P æwill of all other be the most effectual; and if near the Maist ofl 'a graceful addition to it. But to return to other Remedies. ^

Lands which are cold and dry, are ( as we have hinted ) toprov’d by contraries; namely by application of Composts ,hot and moist; as Sheeps-dung, burning and calcining of the ywith the Vegetables on it, and the like, to excite Heat and F ernl ij e s,tion; but which is not to be effected without repugnant jj,

and such as are of heterogenous Parts, to stir and lift up the M ^L

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