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122 A TREATISE ON THE CONNECTION OF 



nation, it is proper to state some further circumstances, 

 more fully to impress on the mind of the farmer the 

 effedl \A hich salt or sea \vater hr.s in promoting the more 

 full putrefaction of dung and vegetable matters. 



It is well known, that ships built of unseasoned tim- 

 Jbers are at first very unhealthy. The exhalation of the 

 vegetable juices of the fresh wood is not the sole cause. 

 It is principally to be ascribed to the putrescent hepatic 

 gas, generated by the mixture of the vegetable juices 

 Avith the vitriolic neutral salts contained in sea water, 

 forming what is called bilge water. The smell of it is 

 no less offensive, than its efTedts are prejudicial to the 

 health of the ship's company. When a new vessel hap- 

 pens to be tight, and to make little water, it is the prac- 

 tice with all intelligent seamen, to sweeten the vessel's 

 hold and limbers, by daily letting in and pimiping out a 

 s^ifHcient quantity of water. 



Certain gasses, which are injurious to the health of ani- 

 mals, are favourable to the growth of plants: hepatic 

 air is one of them ; and as hepatic air is formed in vessels 



holds 



