Se<5t. VII. Agriculture and Vegetation. 93 



intimately mixed, and difTolved in much 

 water. This mucilaginous fubftance muft, 

 then, be fit nourishment for plants. 



THE action of thefe manures is com- 

 monly attributed to their imbibing the dews, 

 and conveying moifture to the ground. But 

 woollen rags rather repel, from their oily 

 nature, than attradt moifture ; and were 

 they only fimply to conduct the moifture 

 into the ground, linen rags would do as 

 well : but they do not. Thefe woollen 

 rags being much ufed in chalky grounds, 

 which are dry, has given rife to this opinion. 

 What thefe grounds fland moft in need of,- 

 is a mucilaginous fubftance, which thefe 

 rags are full of. 



THE animal fhells, fuch as oyfter-fhells, 

 periwinkles, cgckles, &c. muft be included 

 amongft animal fubftances. Thefe are 

 long of diflblving j but it is obferved, that 

 in fix or feven years they make the ground 

 fo mellow, that it muft be allowed to 



ftand 



