ImpTOUement cf arable Land. 1 47 



terftices and Pores of tne Plant, by the Order 

 of Nature, or the attraftive Power of the 

 Sun. Mr. Erelyn calls it Sale, or Nitre, whilft 

 Mr# Woodword is forry he can't fubfcribe to 

 it ; being pofitive from Experience, that Sale 

 and Nitre, are in their own Natures entirely 

 deftruflrive to Vegetation: But this Gentle- 

 man*s Miftake feems to be as to the Qiian^ 

 tity that is us'd 3 whereas, were it to be light- 

 ly ftrow'd over the Ground we fhould foon 

 perceive it give a new Vigour and Ferment 

 to it: On the contrary, it mufl be owny, 

 that where-ever it is fpread thick it deftroys 

 all near it 5 yet after this, when the VigoUi^ 

 and Heat is abated^ and thofe Principles cotiio 

 to their Original Tone, Vegetables fpring up 

 much more freely than before 5 and this 

 is evident to thofe, who by Pot Aflies^ 

 or Fiery and Nitrous Waters, endeavour 

 to deftroy Weeds, Worms, &u in their 

 Grafs and Gravel-walks* But, let us fee 

 howcarneftly Mu Evelyn contends for this 

 Application,* the Salts (fays he) entice 

 the Roots to afFc£t the upper and faiine 

 Surface of the Earth, upon which the Rains 

 and Dews defcend. 



'Tis Salt which makes all covered and 

 long Ihaded Earths fertile, and renders 

 the Dung of Pigeon, Poultry, and other 

 falacious Corn- fed birds fo eminently effe- 



Ma 'lU 



