[ ^85 3 



by long and repeated pradice, to be very efficacious 

 in promoting vegetation ; efpecially when reduced 

 to putridity by mixing them in compoft with lime 

 and earth. But thefe can only be locally applied. 

 The interior parts of the kingdom receive no ad- 

 vantage from them; but river weeds might be 

 coUeded, and applied with equal, if not fuperior, 

 advantage in almoft every parifli. 



Being fituated by a river, I had frequently re- 

 gretted the quantity of weeds impeding the ftream, 

 and being the occalion of many little iflands form- 

 ing, which frequently in very rainy feafons caufed 

 floods and inundations, deftrud:ive of convenience, 

 and fometimes of life. To prevent this in fome 

 meafure, it is ufual for the weeds in common un- 

 navigable rivers, to be cut twice in the fummer 

 months. In this pradlice, the occupiers of mills 

 and of meadows are interefted ; the latter from the 

 fear of inundations on the fuddennefs of heavy 

 rains; the former peculiarly fo to open the current, 

 and admit the water below to pafs away freely. 

 But little care is taken to difincumber the ftream, 

 unlcfs in fome places to draw them out on the 

 banks, where they are fuffered to remain as a nui- 

 fance, without any ufeful or profitable application. 

 Having frequently obfcrvcd this, I determined to 

 try their clfcdl as a manure in their green ftate. I 



therefore 



