dramas of Pliny, (.lie girasole of the Italians , and the water-opal ofCeylon ; and is classed with the opal and thecal’s eye.MOON-TREFOIL. SeeMi-nicvoo.
MOONWORT, in botany. Set: Lunaria.
MOOR, Sir Jonas, in biography, an eminent English mathe-matician, born at Whitby in Lancashire , about the year K'20. lieenjoyed the advantage of a liberal school-education, and after-wards applied himself principally to the study of the mathematics,for which, from his childhood, he had discovered a strong partia-lity. King Charles I. expressed much approbation of his acquire-ments, and gave him a promise of encouragement ; which laidtlie foundation of his future fortune. Afterwards he was appointedmathematical tutor to the King’s second son, James, to instructhim in arithmetic, geography, the use of the globes, &c. DuringCromwell’s government, be appears to have followed the profes-sion of a public teacher of mathematics ; for he is styled in thetitle pages of some of the publications, “ professor of the mathema-tics.” Mr. Granger says, in his “ Biographical History of Eng-land,” that he was employed by the' commissioners, for drainingand dividing the fens; and in his survey took notice tiiat the seamade a curve-line on the beach, from which he took the hint tokeep it effectually out of Norfolk . After the restoration of KingCharles II. he was noticed and employed by that prince, who be-stowed on him the honour of knighthood, and at length promotedKim to the important office of surveyor-general of the ordnance,lie frequently availed himself of his interest at court for the ad-v ancement of learning, the encouragement of merit, and the esta-blishment of institutions highly favourable and beneficial to themterests of the public, and of science in general. He wrote ageneral system of mathematics in 2 vols. 4to. which was publishedafter his death in 1081. Besides the system of mathematics, liePublished arithmetic, in two hooks, viz. Vulgar Arithmetic, andAlgebra . To which are added, two Treatises, the one a new Con-templation Geometrical, upon the oval figure called the Ellipsis;the other, the two first Books of Mydorgius, his Conical Sectionsanalyzed, I6G0, octavo; A Mathematical Compendium; or,Useful Practices in Arithmetic, Geometry , and Astronomy, Geo-graphy, and Navigation, Ac. Ac. tl-.e fourth edition of which isdated in 1705, 12mo. ; A General Treatise of Artillery ; or,Great Ordnance. Written in Italian by Thomas Mnretii of Bres-cia. Translated into English , with Notes thereupon, and someAdditions out of French for Sea-gunners. By Sir Jonas Moor,Knt. octavo, witii the date ot 1(1S8.
Moor, Moor-i.ani>, or Moory Sou,, a black, light, soft soil,re "'.arkablv loose, without any admixture of stones, and containinga very small proportion of clay, or sand. This earth usually tonnsdie uppermost stratum of fen-lands, and consists almost wholly ofPure vegetable matter, which renders it very fertile. Moors,however, are subject to inundations, and they retain moisture fora Considerable time, so as to render it difficult for cattle to graze,"'hlioiit poaching the soil. To remedy this inconvenience, the* f >tants of such lands pare and burn them at certain seasons of theJ'ear ; bv which process their nature is considerably^ improved, asthe surface readily takes fire, and burns freely. They course ofcp °ps that has been found most profitable, is tor the first threeJ'ears , grass; that is, hay-seeds, and the different kinds of clover,s ovvn after the surface has been burnt and plowed in: during (he'text three years, two crops of corn, with an intermediate fallow :,‘ysucb rotation, lands that were naturally of little value, have’ecu rendered fit to produce very beneficial crops. Where moors? t:c ur in mountainous situations, Mr. Young recommends them’"■st to be drained and irrigated, as the water will work numeroustound the heath, that is usually found in moorlands; butJ'aich will speedily perish when flooded, and will be succeededT sweet grasses, and other useful plants. The next step will be0 inclose the land with a double, drv stone-wall, between whichy° l 'ng oaks, alders, ash, holly, mountain-ash, &/-'• ma >' Kc advan-f j P'eously planted ; for, independently of the immediate shelter; Uls afforded to cattle, they will, in the course of a few years, be-j °'ne v ei .y profitable woods. In some cases, u simple inclosure,h ls . wiihont farther cultivation, been found very beneficial tor‘‘eding the common Scotch wethers, which are distinguished by1 j! at K faces and legs, and long coarse wool,—Mr. Young observes,"'t mountainous moors, if tolerably well covered with heath, in-'■■’’mixed with spots of sedge, rushes, and coarse grass,' will supportv ol.ui—no. 148.
a sheep on an acre, throughout the year ; and, as the rot seldomoccurs on these lands, it lias been found, that docks pastured.onthem, without the addition of hay, thrive well, and oftentimes bet -I ter than those which are regularly foddered. If, however, theI design be to establish a grass-fann, it will be advisable to pare,burn, and lime, the lands, after which they must be once thinlyplowed, that the lime and ashes may not be too deeply buried.As the cultivation of mountainous moors is either productive otgreat profit, or of total ruin, the greatest, judgement is requisite infixing the course of crops, 'The chief object being to convertthese soils ultimately into good meadows, or sheep-waiks, the till-age ought only to extend to the destruction of spontaneous growth ;to the removal of the acidity peculiar to peat-soils, and to supporta flock during the winter: which purposes maybe effected byparing ar.d liming judiciously, and also by sowing luy.—The fir.-tcourse, which Air. Young considers as deserving more particularattention, is: 1. Turnips, or cabbages. 2. Oats. 3. Grasses,,mown. 4. Grasses, &c. fed. This course is generally preferableto others; but, in case it should be found inadequate, he recom-mends the following, variation to be adopted, viz. ). Turnips orcabbages. 2. Cabbages or turnips. 3. Oats. 4 . Glasses, mown.5. Grasses, fed.
MOORING, the act of confining and securing a ship in a par-ticular station, by chains or cables,' which are cither fastened tothe adjacent shore, or to anchors in the bottom. A ship may beeither moored by the head, or by the head and stern: e. shemay be secured by anchors before her, without anv behind ; n-she may have anchors out, both before and behind her; or hercables may.be attached to posts, rings, or moorings, which ausvvurthe same purpose. When a ship is moored bv the head with herown anchors, they are disposed according to the circumstances ofthe place where she lies, and the lime she is to continue therein.Thus wherever a tide ebbs and flows, it is usual to carry one anchorout towards the tlood, and another towards the ebb, particularlywhere there is little room to range about.
MOORINGS, in sea-language, are usually an assemblageof anchors, chains, and bridles, laid athwart the bottom ot a riveror haven, to ride the shipping contained therein.
MOORS, MAURI, the inhabitants of the ancient Mauritania ,and of the modern empire of Morocco . Tilt; Moors are a mixtureot Arabian and African nations formed into tribes; with the origin,of whom we are very impelfeclly acquainted. These tribes,strangers to each other, and ever divided by traditional hatred orprejudice, seldom mingle. Most of the casts who occupy theprovinces of Morocco have probably been repulsed from the easternto the western Africa , during those different revolutions bv whichthis part of the world has been agitated ; that they have follow edthe standard ol their chiefs, w hose names they have preserved ;and that by these they, as well as the countries they inhabit, aredistinguished. At present these tribes are called cables or cabiles,from the Arabic word kobrila ; and they are so numerous, thatit is impossible to have a knowledge of them all. In the northernprovinces are enumerated Beni-Garir, Beni, Guernid, Beni-Man-sor, Betii-Oriegan, Beui-Chelid, Beni-Juseph, Beni-Zaruol, Beni-Rozii), Beni-Gebara, Beni-Buseibet, Beni-Uoalid, Beni-Yedcr,Boni-Gueiaghel, Beni-Gueseval, Beni-Gyamud, &c. Towards theeast are, Beni-Sayd, Beni-Teusin, Beni-lesletin, Beni-Bulialel,Beni-Telid, Bem-Sofiian, Beni-Becil, Beni-Zequer, &c.—and tothe south, those of Beni-Fonsecara, Beni-Ares, Beni-Hassen, lieni-Mager, Boni-Basti, Beui-Seba,With an infinite number of others.In these names, the word Ben, or Beni, is used for sons or descend-ants. The people who depend on Algiers, Tunis , and Tripoli,are in like manner divided into a great number of tribes, whoare all so ancient that they themselves have no idea of their origin.
Moors, in the Isle ot Man, those who summon the courts forthe several sheadings; such as the lord’s baliffs. The office Issimilar to that of bailiff of the hundred.
MOORS1IEDABAD, a largo city of Hindustan, in Bengal ,100 miles N. of Calcutta , and 118 S, K o! i’atna. Lon. 88. 26JE. Lat. 94. 15. N.
MOOT CASE or POLVl, a point or c.i.-e unsettled and dis-putable, such as may properly afford a topic of disputation. It isa difficult case, argued by the yumtg barristers and students at theinns of court/ by way ot" exercise, to qualifv them for practice,and to defend the causes of their dumb. Tim, which 'is called7 G meeting;