SEA-WEED. 41^ 



of this once sylvan region, which every common tide 

 now covers, can scarcely be less, in one place only, than 

 from 5 to 600 acres. There is not an appearance of 

 any tree lying at present from the stump, as if blown 

 down or left after falling, but rather that of a forest cut 

 down in haste, the stems cleared and luirried away, leav- 

 ing the branches to rot: but this is mere conjedlure. It 

 is remarkable that there is not, as I am informed, any 

 mention of this ruined forest in the old historians of the 

 countv ; nor does tradition offer the least conjecture or 

 report on the subje6t. Trees, roots, and stumps, are very 

 cx)mmon in bogs, wherever found ; but here is not the 

 trace of any thing like a bog, the earth is solid, and all a 

 fine ouze or sea-clay. 



Mr. RisHTON viewed these relicks with the eye of a 

 farmer ; for experiment, he sent his carts down for some, 

 and spread 10 loads per acre of it, for turnips : it an- 

 swered perfeclly, and on comparison, equalled his yard- 

 dung: and also rape-cake. In another experiment, lie 

 manured two acres for wheat, with a compost, consisting 

 of nine loads of this weed, and three chaldrons of lime, 

 mixed; one acre with yard-muck ; one acre with tallow- 

 chandlers' graves, 16 bushels, and the rest of the piece 

 with rape-cake. 'The graves were, in efFc<5l, far bevond 

 all the rest; between which the difference was not very 

 perceptible. The expense only is. per load; but if a 

 barge was floated to the spot, and anchored when the tide 

 was in, for loading at low water, it might be pro- 

 cured at a much cheaper rate. This gentleman is go- 

 ing to quit liis farm, but not before he has opened a real 

 mine to such farmers as shall have the sagacity to dig in 

 it : it appears astonishing that none of them should long 

 ago have made the same exi^eriment, and consequently 

 have profited by so beneficial a vicinity. 



POND- 



