58

A DISCOURSE

many of these being freshly made, are not sensibly hot, but mordaciousand burning, they are with caution to be used. That every kind ofEarth (as well as the dung of beasts, &c.) has its peculiar ferment, andoperates accordingly, either by attracting something to it, or embasingwhat approaches it, sufficient has been said ; together with directions howto mingle and attemper it, as best may qualify it for culture. That wemay do the like with the several sorts of soil, let us consider what their na-tures are, what their correctives, and how to apply them.

Horfe-dung, the least pinguid and fat of any, taken as it falls, beingthe most fiery, excites to sudden fermentation above any; wherefore, aswe said, it is then fit only for the hot-bed, and when that fervour is past,may be spread on fields where we would have a rank grafs to spring; butis at no hand to be admitted into the garden, or where you defire goodroots should grow, unlefs the ground be very ftiff, cold, or wet, andthen too it had need be well rotted, lest, instead of curing it, it leavecouch-grafs and pernicious weeds, worse than the difeafe, The seeds ofhay and other plants, of which the horses eat, come oftentimes entirefrom them; and we observe, that such vegetables do commonly springup from the soil of cattle as they chiefly eat; as long knot-grafs from thisbeast; short, clean, and sweet pasture from sheep and cows; the sonchus,or sow-thistle, from the swine. Ground mucked with horse-dung is al-ways the most infected of any, and if it be not perfectly consumed, itmakes your roots grow forked, fills them with worms, and imparts tothem an unpleasing relish; but being laid on at the beginning of winter,and turned in at spring, it succeeds sometimes with pulse.

The dung of afses is highly esteemed, for its being better digested bythe long maftieation and chewing of that dull animal; but since we haveno quantity of it in. this country, it does the least concern us.

The dung of cows and oxen is of all other, the most harmlefs, and themost useful; excellent to mingle with sandy and hot grounds, lean or dry,and being applied before winter, renders it the most like natural earth,and is therefore for the garden and orchard preferred to any other : Touse it therefore with the most certain succefs in such thirsty grounds, ap-ply a plentiful surface of it, so blended, as the rain and showers may washin the virtue of it thoroughlybut this is best done by making the dung