I op . , ^ E S S A Y k Chap. 2; 



their Opinloti : And althd' a great many 

 Gardeners love Obfcurity, and that their 

 Bufinefs and Corapofts fliould appear ab- 

 ftrufe and extraordinary, when there is no 

 fuch thing 5 yet I cann't follow their Me- 

 thod, fince 'tis certain, even in Flowers, that 

 the moft Knowing of them make ufe of much 

 •^ plainer Mixtures than formerly, fo well 

 /refined are the Judgments of Men in this 

 •Matter. 

 Earth, Therefore, when I fpeak of Earth, I don't 

 ^emt by thereby mean in general that Globe fo call'd, 

 ft in this much lefs its Geometrical Circumference or 

 ^iV- Magnitude^ or pretend to adjuft the differ- 

 ing Hypothefis of the PhilofopherSj whether 

 it be Eix'd or Moveable 5 nor yet of thofe 

 Magnetical, Mineral, or other Bodies and 

 Qualities of which 'tis compos'd ^ but only of 

 the Superficies or Surface thereof, on which 

 we daily walk, and from which we gather all 

 that is neceflary for the Support and Sufte-^ 

 ji^nce of Life. 

 How few I And as this alfo is compos*d of almoft an 

 ^[efuiTn innumerable quantity of Species or Kinds of 

 Card'ning. Soil diffeAig from each other in Contexture, 

 Colour, or Site ^ I have (as I propofe, for 

 the Delivery of all that I have to fay in 

 Gardening ) reduced them into a few Sorts^ 

 let them be of what Colour or Specifick 

 Diftinftion foever, and tliey are Earths either 

 Light, Sandy, or Loofe 5 or otherwife. Earths 

 f^^, Stiff, Clayey, or Cloje Contexture: Either 

 9^ thefe have their refpeftive good Quali- 

 ibdj' ties 5 



