Sed. III. Agriculture and Vegetation. 1 1 



preceded. This we attribute to the efflu- 

 via of the plants : but it belongs to the 

 earth, as it is to be felt every where, and 

 ilronger the nearer the nofe approaches 

 the ground. This is probably owing to 

 the volatile falts and oils, which rife toge- 

 ther, in greater plenty, as the natural fer- 

 mentation of the earth is increafed by a 

 * 



due proportion of moifture. 



i/. tf 



To crumble when dug up, is a quality 

 peculiar to this foil. In this it differs very 

 much from the clay and fandy foil. The 

 former does not feparatej the latter falls 

 into a powder like fand ; but this feparates 

 into fmall bits. It feems to enjoy that de- 

 gree of cohefion which is fitteft for fup 

 porting vegetables, and ; at the fame time 

 allowing their fibres to fpread in fearch tif 

 their food. The particles of this foil 

 feem to be in a continual tendency to re- 

 cede from one another j for it is obferved, 

 that when dug up, and expofed to the air, 

 the hole from which it was taken, will not 



again 



