- Mosses retain moisture a long time without being dis- 
posed to'putrefy. The angler takes advantageof this cir 
cumstance to preserve his worms, and the gardener to 
kéep moist the roots of such plants as are'to be transported 
to any considerable distance. ) 
It is a vulgar error to suppose that Mosses impoverish 
land. It is true they grow upon poor land which can sup- 
port no else ; but their roots penetrate very little, m 
general hardly a quarter of an inch into the earth. Take 
away the Moss, and instead of more grass you will have 
less ; but manure and drain the land, the grass will increase 
and the Moss disappear. , cry 
~The Spaacnum palustre, the Mxium triquetrum, the 
Bryum paludosum and estivum, the Hypnum -aduncum, 
scorpoides, riparium and cuspidatum grow upon the sides 
and shallower parts of pools and marshes ; and ‘in process 
of time, occupying the space heretofore filled wit “water, 
are in their half decayed state, dug up and usec el 
— the of Peat. These ree drain 
y chaman i dustry, and partly y the lo contin ned 
operations of vegetables, are at length elie versal into fer- 
tile meadows. mee 
Very few Mosses are eaten by cattle. The Bishop 
Moth, and the Brussels Lace Moth feed upon some of 
them. ‘Their medicinal virtues are but little known, and 
less attended to. I think it probable, that on account of 
their astringent properties, some of them might be 
Md : 
“ 7 
trying as a substitute for oak bark im tanning va 
ee 
He 
Female fructifications inclosed in a veil, which splits 
open at the top, and disch pate Paste | 
CApsuLE opening lengthwise, with seeds. | 
SEEDS BER fixed to an elastic cord, formed of one 
or two spiral threads. eee ers 
_ Some plants are referred to this subdivision on account 
of their agreement in general habit, though the female 
fructification has no —— is placed upon, or immersed 
in the substance of the leaf. TAS s | 
The leaves are mostly lobed, exhibiting a network of 
vesicles, and though dried, reviving again when moisten 
with water, 
