CENTURY VI. 277 



mischief the irruptions many times do, by the ex 

 ceeding fruitfulness of the soil, caused by the ashes 

 scattered about. Soot also, though thin spread in a 

 field or garden, is tried to be a very good compost. 

 For salt, it is too costly; but it is tried, that mingled 

 with seed-corn, and sown together, it doth good : 

 and I am of opinion, that chalk in powder, mingled 

 with seed-corn, would do good ; perhaps as much as 

 chalking the ground all over. As for the steeping 

 of the seeds in several mixtures with water to give 

 them vigour, or watering grounds with compost- 

 water, we have spoken of them before. 



598. The fourth help of ground is, the suffering 

 of vegetables to die into the ground, and so to fatten 

 it ; as the stubble of corn, especially peas. Brakes 

 cast upon the ground in the beginning of winter, will 

 make it very fruitful. It were good also to try 

 whether leaves of trees swept together, with some 

 chalk and dung mixed, to give them more heart, 

 would not make a good compost; for there is nothing 

 lost so much as leaves of trees ; and as they lie scat 

 tered, and without mixture, they rather make the 

 ground sour than otherwise. 



599. The fifth help of ground is, heat and 

 warmth. It hath been anciently practised to burn 

 heath, and ling, and sedge, with the vantage of the 

 wind, upon the ground. We see that warmth of 

 walls and inclosures mendeth ground : we see also, 

 that lying open to the south mendeth ground : we 

 see again, that the foldings of sheep help ground, as 

 well by their warmth as by their compost : and it 



