248 Of R i d g e s. Chap. XVI, 



when level ; and this, I believe, Experience will prove, 

 if the thing were well examined into. 



But againft this Increafe of profitable Ground, 

 there is an Objection, which I muft not call a frivo- 

 lous one, in refpedt to the Authors who bring it ; 

 yet, I hope, the Defire of finding the Truth will 

 juftify me to examine it; and the Arguments brought 

 to fuftain it. 



This Opinion of theirs is founded upon their No- 

 tion (which I think very erroneous) of the perpendi- 

 cular Growth of Vegetables; and is, by Mr. Bradley, &t 

 in its beft Light, in his Vol. I. Pag. 8. ufque ad Pag. 1 3. 

 and in his Cuts, reprefenting Three Hills ; but his 

 Arguments feem to be fuch as all Arguments are, 

 which pretend to prove a thing to be what it is not j 

 viz. Sophiflicalones. 



The Hypothefis he endeavours to prove, is in Pag. 

 8. thus: * An Hill may contain Four equal Sides, 



* which meet in a Point at the Top -, but the Contents 

 4 of thefe Four Sides can produce no more, either of 

 4 Grain or Trees, than the plain Ground, upon which 

 4 the Hill Hands, or has at its Bafe : and yet, by the 

 4 Meafure of the Sides, we find twice the Number of 

 4 Acres, Roods, and Poles, which meafure in the 

 4 Bafe, or Ground- plat ; and therefore Page 9. Hills 



* are worth no more than half their Superficial Mea- 

 4 fure \ i. e. Two Acres upon the Side of the Hill to 

 4 pay as much as one upon the Plain, provided the 

 4 Soil of both is equally rich.' 



To prove it, he gives an Example in Fig. III. of 

 Buildings upon an Hill ; (hewing, that the Two Sides 

 of the Hill will only bear the fame Number of Houfes, 

 that may Hand in the Line at the Bafe. 



This is foreign to the Queftion, of how much 

 Grain, or how many Trees, the Hill will produce. 

 For Vegetables, being fed by the Earth, require much 

 more of its Surface to nourim them, than is necefTary 

 for them to ftand on , but Buildings require no more 



of 



