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of mucilage they contain, or yield in decoction; for 

 this purpofe, fuppofe a pound weight, for inftance, 

 of parfnips, carrots, potatoes, &c. were boiled fe- 

 parately in a quart of water, the decoction drained, 

 and, when cold, compared. The decoctions of the 

 parfnips will, I believe, be found the mod muci- 

 laginous, or the mod thickened. Be this as it 

 may, the culture and trial of the plant feems an ob- 

 ject: worthy the attention of your Society. 



Farmers are apt to judge of the merits of plants 

 by the weight of their productions, without attend- 

 ing properly to their different qualities. Thus 

 Burnet is, I find, by your correfpondents made little 

 account of. Upon trial it will be found that it 

 goes much farther in feeding fheep, for inftance, 

 than any other plant. Thus, fuppofe that fome 

 fheep are fed on an acre of it, and an equal number 

 on an acre of any other plant ; I have fome autho- 

 rity to fay, that fheep will be longer well fed on 

 burnet, than on any other plant I know. The 

 mutton of fheep fed on it will be better coloured, 

 more juicy, and better flavoured, than the mutton 

 fed on any other food. It ftands the winter better, 

 and fhoots as early in fpring as any plant. It has 

 been found to be a perfect cure of the rot in fheep ; 

 and cows, fheep, or goats, fed on it, give more 

 milk, and more nourifhing milk, than on any other 



pafturej 



