OF THE CUCUMBER. jfj 



What I mean by animal mould is the dung of 

 horfes or of cows, after it has undergone a fermenta- 

 tiron by being ufed for the rearing melons or cucum- 

 bers, and has afterwards Iain in a heap expofed to 

 the fun and air, and been frequently turned and 

 well worked, till it has become a black, light, rich, 

 mould *. But among luch moulds are always confi- 

 derable quantities of vegetables, fuch as hay, flraw, 

 and perhaps weeds of different forts, which have not 

 pafled through animal veflels ; therefore it is a com- 

 pofition of dung and rotten vegetables. In this fort 

 of mould cucumber plants will grow remarkably 

 ftrong ; but I think it is rather too rich, and there- 

 fore thofe who ufe it had better mix it with fome light 

 foil, which has no unpleafant or difagreeable fmell. 



That which I call vegetable mould is what is made 

 of the leaves of trees. The method 1 take to make it 

 is this : In the months of December or January, or 

 v/hen the leaves are in a decaying ftate and wet, I 

 have them raked together, and laid in a heap as large 

 as will raife a moderate heat ; and during the fpring 

 and fummer months I have them frequently turned 

 and well worked, and by October and November 

 following they are rotten and fit for ufe : But if they 

 are fuffered to lie for a longer fpace of time before 

 ufmg, their mould is fiill better, becaufe it will 

 have become more rotten, and of a more folid tex- 



* Perhaps with more propriety may the earth of bones, flefli 

 horns, and Ikins, be called animal mould. When fuch things arc 

 by putrefadioii reduced to earth, it undoubtedly contains much 

 pf the food of plants- 



D 4 ture. 



