A Treatise en Vegf.tatiox, ^V. vil 



inches of any ibrt of Earth, it will retain its moifture 

 ar.d moifteran^;; qualities in the hotlclt iummer. 



To make a foil therefore, equal in goodnefs to this, 

 for Hxadnths, Tulips, Ranunciihifcs, and Ancm'nies, and 

 to irsake them blow and increnfe as they do in HoUanrl, 

 is to mod of otir gardeners a thing unknown; but 

 nothing is more certain than that we may imitate the 

 fine Dutch foil ; nay, v/e may have our foil as good as 

 the Dutch; for, by carefully preparing the Compoil 

 in the manner prefcribed, fiowers have been brought to 

 as great perfe6tion as ever they were in Flollancl, and as 

 few roots, if not fewer, have been lofl: in a feafon, than 

 ever in proportion v/ere lofl: in that country. 



The foil that is com.pofed of clay, (which is certain 

 death to Hyacinths,) mufl: be avoided, fo that cur choice 

 mufl be of fuch, wh.ere the 'eall: of it is in the cornpofi- 

 tion. Hie black rich mould, and the moffy land, in 

 which we abound, I fhall give proper directions for me- 

 liorating. Having varieties of fands, and plenty of cow 

 dung, and thefe materials being properly mixt, by length 

 of time may be brought to become a mais of Earth a§ 

 good for propagating Hyacinths, as that in Holland. 

 Therefore, I proceed to give directions how the Black 

 Earth is to be ufcd, fuch at leafl: as is the freeft from 

 clay, or its particles. There are two forts of it; one 

 v.'hich is moflly found in gardens, and another below the 

 fod of paflure lands. If you ufe the garden fort, v/hich 

 has been often cropt bv the gardener, take a quantity of 

 it nine inches deep below the furiace ; fpread it out du- 

 ring a winter and a fummer, to enjoy the benefit of the 

 fun and air, in the befl: expofed part of your Compofl- 

 yard, which flionld be clofely paved or flagged to pre- 

 vent the liquid matter which is highly impregnated with 

 the vegetative quality, from being lofl, as not any thing 

 contributes fo much to the value of your Conipoll, as 

 t!ie frequent turning this liquid into the heap, while un- 

 der preparation : If you take your earth from paflure 

 land, go no deeper than nine inches ; take the lod along 

 with it; lay it out and expofe it in the fame manner for 

 fifteen months before ufc ; but take care iliat the lower 

 part of the fod he turned up to the fun, fo that the gralfy 



b part 



