Sect. IV. Agriculture and Vegetation. 165 



SECT. IV. 



Of ploughing* 



PLOUGHING is the artificial method of 

 pulverizing moft known and moil 

 practifed. It ads in two ways ; by an im- 

 mediate mechanical divifion and trituration 

 of the foil, and by a more frequent and 

 extenfive expofition of it to the influence 

 and viciffitudes of the atmofphere. I believe 

 the latter operation is the principal one j 

 for fo grofs an inftrument would feem very 

 unfit to prepare the earth to enter the 

 capillary veiTels of plants. Its effects, 

 however, are very remarkable. They are 

 beautifully and ftrongly illustrated by the 

 ftory related by Pliny of Cairn Fiirius Crc- 

 fmus. That farmer, having better crops 

 than his neighbours, fell under the fufpi- 

 cion of witchcraft, was accufed before the 

 people, and faw himfelf ready to be con- 

 demned to death. When the tribes were 

 M 3 going 



