j^ (ECONOMY 



and the fea repelled by this wonderful difpofi- 

 tion of nature. 



How foUcitous nature is about the prefer- 

 vation of grafifes is abundantly evident from 

 hence, that the more the leaves of the peren- 

 nial gralTes are eaten, the more they creep by 

 the roots, and fend forth ofT-fets. For the 

 Author of nature intended, that vegetables of 

 this kind, which have very flender, and ere6t 

 leaves, ftiould be copious, and very thick-fet, 

 covering the ground like a carpet ^ and thus 

 afford food fufficient for fo vaft a quantity of 

 grazing animals. But what chiefly increafes 

 our wonder is, that although the grades are 

 the principal food of fuch animals, yet they 

 are forbid, as it were, to touch the flower, and 

 feed-bearing fliems •, that fo the feeds may 

 ripen and be fown. 



The caterpillar or gruh of the moth^ Faun. 

 Sue. 826. (i2^tdi graefmajken^ although it feeds 

 upon graflles, to the great deftru6tion of them, 

 in meadows ; yet it feems to be formed, in or- 

 der to keep a due proportion between thefe 

 and other plants •, for graflx^s, when left to 

 grow freely, increafe to that degree, that they 

 exclude all other plants •, which would confe- 

 quently be extirpated, unlefs this infed Ibme- 



time§ 



