74 (ECONOMY 



Many plants^ and Jhruhs are arm-ed with 

 thorns, e. g. the buck-thorny Jloe^ carduus^ cot- 

 ton-thiftky Sec. that they may keep off the ani- 

 mals, which otherwife would deftroy their fruit. 

 Thefe at the fame time cover many other 

 plant Sy efpecially of the annual kind, under 

 their branches". So that while the adjacent 

 grounds are robbed of all plants by the voraci^ 

 ty of animals, fome may be preferved, to ripen 

 flowers and fruit, and ftock the parts abom 

 with feeds, which otherwife would be quite ex- 

 tirpated. 



All herbs cover the ground with their leaves, 

 and by their fliade hinder it from being totally 

 deprived of that moifture, which is neceffary 

 to their nourifhment. They are moreover an 

 ornament to the earth, efpecially as leaves 

 have a more agreable verdure on the upper, 

 than the under fide. 



The mojfesy which adorn the moft barren 

 places, at the fame time preferve the leffcr 

 plants, when they begin to fhoot, from cold 

 and drought. As we find by experience in our 



" This obfervation may be extended farther ; for it is 

 conftantly feen upon commons, where furze grows, that 

 wherever there was a bufli left untouched for years by the 

 commoners, fome iree has fprung up, being fecured by the 

 prickles of l\i2Xjhrub from the bite of the cattle. 



