Chap. IV. O/Dung. 33 



This Dung is a fitter Food for venomous Creatures 

 (a) than for edible Plants \ and 'tis (no doubt) upon 

 Account of this, that diing'd Gardens are fo much 

 frequented by Toads, which are feldom or never feen 

 in the open undung'd Fields. 



What can we fay then to the Salubrity of thofe 

 Roots themfelves, bred up and fatten'd among thefe 

 Toads and Corruption ? The Leaves indeed are only 

 difcharging fome of the Filth, when we eat them ; 

 but the Roots have that unfavoury infected Food in 

 their very Mouths, when we take them for our Nou- 

 rifhment. 



But tho' Dung be, upon thefe and other Accounts, 

 injurious to the Garden, yet a confiderable Quantity 

 of it is fo neceiTary to mofl Corn-fields, that without 

 it little Good can be done by the old Husbandry. 



Dung is not injurious to the Fields (b) being there 

 in lefs Proportion : And the Produce of Corn is the 

 Grain. When the Leaves have done their utmoft to 

 purify the Sap, the moft refin'd Part is fecern'd to be 

 yet further elaborated by peculiar Organs; then, by 

 the VefTels of the BlofToms, 'tis become double-reftn'd, 

 for theNourifhment of the Grain; which is therefore 

 more pure from Dung, and more wholfome, than 

 any other Part of the Plant that bears it. 



And common Tillage alone is not fufficient for 

 many Sorts of Corn, efpecially Wheat, which is the 

 King of Grains. 



Very few Fields can have the Conveniency of a 

 fufficient Supply of Dung, to enable them to produce 

 half the W r heat thofe will do near Cities, where 

 they have Plenty of it. 



(a) Mr. Evtlyn fays, that Dung is the Nurfe of Vermin. 



(b) Such Plants as Cabbages, "iurr.ep, Carrots, and Potatoes, 

 when they are defigned only for fatting of Cattle, will not be in- 

 jured by Dung, Tillage, and Hoeing all together, which will 

 make the Crops the greater, and the Cattle will like them never 

 the worle. 



D The 



