Sect. I. Agriculture and Vegetation. 103 



Cor. 2. Grain appears to grow better, 

 that it has been fteeped in dung and falt- 

 petre. It is a fadt long ago bbferved, that 

 grain vegetates flronger, quicker, and is lefs 

 fubjecl to blight and mildew, if it has been 

 fteeped in liquors which contain fait and 

 oil, fuch as fea-water, ftale urine, &c. 

 This is eafily accounted for. It is certainly 

 of great moment, with what the vefTels of 

 the feed are at firfl filled, whether with 

 watery or with rich juices. This is one 

 great reafon that makes a dry feed-time fb 

 ufeful : for if the ground is dry, the juices 

 which the feed imbibes, are rich and nu- 

 tritious ; whereas in rainy weather, thefe 

 juices are diluted with too much rain, and 

 the tender plant is weakened. In medica- 

 ting grains, we fill their veflels with plenty 

 of falts and oils, and give them vigour to 

 fend out many roots, upon which the nou- 

 rimment of plants depends. The way to 

 make a ftrong man, is to nourifh the child 

 with fuitable food. 



H 4 Cor. 



