768 CRYPTOGAMIA P4USCL 



the food or delight of men. Many of tht'.ti 

 grow on rocks and barren places, and, rotting 

 away, afford ihe tirft principles of vcgeudon 

 to other plants, which could never clle have 

 taken root there. Others grow in bogs and 

 marlhes, and, by continual increafe and decay, 

 fill up and convert them either into fertile paf- 

 tures, or into peat-bogs, the fource of inex- 

 hauilible fuel to the polar regions. 



They are applicable alfo to many domeflic pur- 

 pofes : The Lyropodiums are fome of them ufed 

 in dying of yarn, and in medicine-, x\\q Sphc.g- 

 mim and Polytrichum furnlili convenient beds 

 for the Lapiande^rs •, the Hypnutm are ufed in 

 tiling of houfes, flopping crevices in walls, 

 packing up of brittle wares, and the roots of 

 plants for diflant conveyance. 



To which may be added, that all in general corv- 

 tribure entertainment and agreeable inftrudion 

 to the contemplative mind of the Naturalift, at 

 a feafon when few other plants offer themfclvcs 

 to his view. 



ALGEL. 



