124 



EAR 



EAR 



that the sides of the d^-ke may be 

 perfect incHned planes. Though 

 this will make it very thick at bot- 

 tom, it is necessary, that it may re- 

 sist the greatest pressure of water 

 against that part. 



When we build on an oozy, soft 

 spot, it is best to fill the mud with 

 piles, driven as deep as they will 

 easily go, and then cut off even 

 with the surface or a little above 

 it. This will give stability to the 

 foundation, and prevent the water's 

 undermining the dyke. On a side- 

 ling place, stakes should be driven 

 through the dyke into the marsh, 

 to hold the sods in their places. — 

 There should be many of them, 

 and they should be strong. 



In the creek, or creeks, there 

 must be sluices, larger or smaller 

 in proportion to the quantity of 

 fresh water that will need to pass 

 out. See Sluice, 



E. 



EARTH, the soil, or land, in 

 which the roots of plants find nou- 

 rishment. There are several sim- 

 ple kinds of earth, considered only 

 with respect to husbandry ; as clay, 

 marie, loam, gravel, sand, peat,and 

 black mould. Perhaps these are 

 nearly all the simple soils that are 

 found on or near the surface of the 

 earth, in this country ; though oth- 

 ers, distinct' from them all, are 

 found by digging deep. There is 

 not one of these earths, in its un- 

 mixed state, that is so friendly to 

 the growth of plants, as when mix- 

 ed with some other sorts ; and it 

 is happy for us that nature in most 

 places has blended them. Though 



the original soils are so (ew, they 

 are so variously compounded in 

 different places, as to present us 

 with an endless variety of soils, 

 some or other of which are most 

 suitable to nourish every different 

 plant. But for most of the pur- 

 poses of husbandry a sandy loam is 

 as good as any. 



Good earth for the general pur- 

 poses of husbandry, is most com- 

 monly of a dark colour, or quite 

 black, unctuous to the touch, easi- 

 ly ploughed, on a due medium be- 

 twixt dry and wet, not compact, 

 nor too loose and open, and easily 

 made to ferment. 



Mortimer observes, '' That mix- 

 ed soils are best ; especially where 

 the mixtures happen to be of the 

 right kind, as those of the hot and 

 dry soils, blended with the cold and 

 the moist. All sands are hot, and 

 all clays are cold, and, therefore, 

 laying sand on clayey lands,orclay 

 upon sandy lands, is the best of all 

 manure for both. This alters and 

 changes for the better, the very- 

 nature of the land itself, whereas 

 dung only improves it for a time, 

 and after that leaves it nearly as 

 bad as it was before. It is not on- 

 ly the nature of the soil we are to 

 consider, but the depth of it, and 

 what kind of earth is underneath ; 

 for the richest soil, if it be only 

 eight or ten inches deep, and lies 

 upon a cold clay, or upon a quarry 

 of stone, will not be so fruitful, or 

 advantageous to the farmer, as the 

 leaner soil that lies upon better un- 

 der strata." 



But an under stratum of clay, not 

 too near to the surface, and where 

 the ground has not too much wet- 



