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Article XL1V. 



On the Advantage of River Weeds as a Manure. 



[In a Letter to the Secretary.] 



Sir, Norwich, Feb. 29, 1 788. 



TN your Third Volume, is an infertion commu- 

 -** nicated by me, refpecting River Weeds as a 

 manure, when cut in their vegetating Hate, laid in 

 the furrow, and ploughed in. 



Permit me now to relate a mode of more expe- 

 rienced advantage, which is, by extracting them 

 with their roots, and the furface of the foil on 

 which they grow 3 leaving them awhile to the 

 action of the fun and air, for a requifite fermenta- 

 tion; more particularly a certain fpecies hereafter 

 to be mentioned. 



About the middle of June, in a broad part of a 

 ftream, where from a leffened current a muddy fe- 

 diment refted, and on which, in fpaces, various 

 weeds grew, but whofe furface was generally c6- 

 vered by the river Conferva,* whofe extended deep 

 green filaments fcarce left any of the other fpecies 

 perceptible. To draw thefe out, I employed two 

 men, accuftomed to the cutting of weeds in rivers, 



* Conferva rivularis of Linnajus. 



who, 



