270 Of Differences between the Chap. XV XI. 



obvious: The artificial Pafture of Plants is made and 

 increafed by Pulveration only, and nothing elfe there 

 is in our Power to enrich our Ground, but to pulve- 

 rize it (a) 9 and keep it from being exhaufted by Ve- 

 getables. 



(a) Thele Two are all we have in our Power; for pulverizing 

 includes an Expofure to the Atmofphere; without which, I think, 

 it cannot be reduced to Particles minute enough, or have their 

 Superficies fo impregnated as to become a fertile Pafture for 

 Plants. The Experiment related by Mr. Evelyn of artificial Pul- 

 veration, feems to prove fuch an Expofure neceffary ; as alfo the 

 frequent turning (or inceftantly agitating) that fine Duft for a 

 Year, before the barren exhaufted Earth was made rich and pro- 

 lific ; For, befides the Benefit of Pulveration and Impregnation, 

 Land is more enriched in proportion to the Time of Expofure, 

 during which it is free from Exhauftion, and continually receiving 

 from the Atmofphere : Therefore frequent Turning and Expofure 

 are both contained in the Words pulverize, and not exhauft ; and 

 to comply with the latter, we fhould endeavour, that our Land 

 may be never exhaufted by any other Plants than by thofe we 

 would propagate, and by no more of them neither, than what are 

 neceftary for producing a reafonable Crop ; which, upon full 

 Trial, will be found a very fmall Number in comparifon to thofe 

 that are commonly fown ; and then, if the Supply from the At- 

 mofphere by Help of the Pulveration exceeds the Exhauftion, the 

 Land will become richer, tho' conftant Crops are produced of the 

 fame Species ; as in the Vineyards ; and the Soil of thefe is fo 

 much improved by a bare competent Exhauftion, and the ufual 

 Pulveration, that after producing good annual Crops without 

 Durfg, until Age has killed the Vines, they leave the Soil better 

 than they found it; and better than contiguous Land of the fame 

 Sort kept in arable Field-culture. 



By Palveration are meant all the Benefits of it that accrue to 

 the Pafture of Plants ; and by Exhauftion, all the Injuries that 

 can be done to that Pafture, except Burning. And as the Benefits 

 of Pulveration vifibly continue for feveral Years, fo do the In- 

 juries of Exhauftion ; which appear by the Ends of fome of my 

 Rows that have been cleanfed of Weeds in their Partitions by the 

 Hand-hoe, and the other Ends of the fame Rows not cleanfed ; 

 the Difference is vifible in the Colour of the Wheat in the Third 

 and Fourth following Crops, equally managed ; and this is no 

 more to be wondered at, than that Two unequal Sums, being 

 equally increafed or diminifhed, fhould remain unequal, until an 

 Addition to the letter, or a Subtraction from the greater, be 

 made ; which, in cafe of the Soil, muft be either by a greater 

 Pulveration, or a lefTer Exhauftion. Tis by this that both Ends 



of 



