of EARTH, &C.

should come to be the Symbol of Malediction, when, as the Customwas,they us ’d to sow Salt in the Place of Cities they had eras ^ and curs d ;there being in all Nature nothing so pregnant and fruitful; unless itWere to invite the ¥ lough to go there, and that the Fertility or theSpot for Corn and Gram might divert them from rebuilding and cover-it again with Houses. Indeed to apply Salt m Excels, burns theEarth lor a time, so as nothing will grow upon it ; but w ten oncethe Rains have well diluted it, it springs up more wantonly than ever.This I daily find by sifting common Salt upon the Gravel-walks otmy Garden, and for which Cause I have lest it off ; and we find thatthe Earth itself over -marl'd, and too highly manur d, is as unprofita-ble as if it were barren for the time, and that there is in all things ajust Proportion to be observed.

But neither all this while do I pretend, much leis determine, thatthe ‘Principle I lo much celebrate, is our common artificial Salt , com-pos’d of ‘Urine, and the like, which of itlelf is so burning and destru-ctive, till its Acidity be qualified by the Air and Showers from Hea-ven (which endows it with a natural Magnetism to receive their irradi-ant Virtues; ) but a certain more unffuous Spirit, or airy Nitre ypregnant with a vital Balm, which is the thing we endeavour to findin the Materials of Composts: But whether it be accidental or ejstential,corporeal or more spiritual, principal or organical ; or (to speak withthe Chymists and later Atomists ) whether communicated by Effluvia,Salts embryonate, or undigested and not specificate ; from Ferments,Spermatic Vapours, Influences Celestial, or from Liquor only im-pregnated and concocted, I leave to those who affect to wrap up easyNotions in hard and uncertain Terms, whilst the thing would be of uleto the Philosophical Husbandman, were their Reduction into justClasses, for the better discriminating ot the several Composts ; as whatthere’s of them most abounds in Nitrous, or ■Vrinous Parts ; or whatof the Nature of our crude, common Salts, and Kali's Mineral, orother; and thereby be able to pronounce, where, and how, we mayapply them with Safety and Success : For some we know are plainlyexitial and deadly to Plants , (such as the Miner as others properatetoo fast; and tome are sluggish, and scarce advance them at all. ItWould therefore be consider'd, whether any Salts did universally nou-rish all Plants alike ; or rather partly, tome one Plant, some another ;for upon the clear Decision of this Secret depends all that is truly cu-rious in this Affair; laying, as I do, for Post ion, that the Improve-ment of all the Earths and Soils I have spoken of, result from someSalt or Spirit (call it which you please) as from an indispensible Prin-ciple in this of Vegetation, and perhaps the first Rudiment of Life inall things else : And till we shall arrive to this (by what I have observ’din the discreet Use even of our common Salt, Brine, the Effects of'Urine, and the like) I firmly believe, that were Saltpetre (I meanBstitious Nitre ) to be obtain’d in Plenty, we should need but littleother Composts to meliorate our Ground ; since whether that which sobertili2 es st by any Mixture we can yet devise, effect it from any otherCause, i s greatly to be doubted ; nor do I think, but the Charge ofextracting it (at least sufficient to impregnate Water in convenientQuantity) might be compass’d by the industrious Farmer without muchInconvenience, or the least Difficulty, were he competently instructedm tlle Process of Calcination, Resolution, Percolation , Evaporation,

and

2 ?