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A DISCOURSE

Another proper mixture, much in esteem with our gardeners, is Willow-earth, a fourth part, sifted from the grofser sticks, with almost an equalportion of sheep-dung, (Laurembergius says, that goats is better,) naturalmould making up the other two parts; and indeed this is excellent to raiseany seedlings of flowers; but for the more minute and delicate, such ascyprefs, mulberry, the samera of elm, and the like, prepare a mould asfine as powder, and let it be gently refreshed with a dewy sperge orbrush, not with the watering-pot, which plainly gluts it.

Auriculas, anemonies, &c. fhould be raised in the Willow-Mould de-scribed above, but planted forth where the dung of oxen and loam is siftedamong the Pasture-Earth.

The pine and bigger kernels make (as some affirm) great advance bybeing coated with dung, but, being grown to great trees, they abhor it.Touching change of crop, something has been said already: Pease dege-

nerate betimes, at least in. two or three years, be the land never SO good. $

so it is observed, that most plants long standing in the same bed, impairboth the ground and themselves, especially sorrel.

To conclude : For a general good garden-soil, take the natural under-turf, if it be not too stiff; add to it a quarter part of oxen or sheep-dungperfectly consumed; one bushel of slacked lime to each load of mould,with some sweet, though rotten wood-pile or Willow-earth; mix thesewell together, and you have a choice composition for all your rareexotics, oranges, and case-shrubs, remembering to place the spray ofrotten bavins, hampers, or baskets, to keep the mould loofe, with lime-stone, brickbats, shells, and other rubbish at the bottom, that the watermay pafs freely, and not rot the fibres. And therefore be careful neverto make your cafes clofe below, but rather so barred as to be able to keepthe coarse materials from dropping through, whilst auger-holes, thoughnever so thick bored, are apt to be stopped up, and then your roots docertainly rot, and your trees grow sick. The same is to be observed inpots, and that you place them about an inch from the ground, that theymay freely drain, and as freely receive refreshing. But I must not quitthese curiosities, to speak of the cooler composts, till I have described thebest hot-bed ithat I know of.