2;8 



DRAINING 



becomes a mere fibrous membrane not better th 

 grains above mentioned. 



Sect. XI. ^-s* 



the flraw of ripe 



It may be here repeated, that one great ufe in this country of flood- 

 ing grafs-grounds in winter, and in early fpring, fo as to let a thin 

 fheet of water perpetually flow flowly over them, is, that it will in 

 frofty nights, when the cold is not much below the freezino- point, 

 produce a thin (heet of ice, and thus prevent the cold from afFedino- 

 the roots of the grafs beneath it ; which may thus be two or three 

 weeks forwarder than on other lands; for ice is fo bad a condudor of 

 heat, that water is not readily frozen beneath it ; and efpecially if it 

 ftands hollow, fo as to enclofe a ftratum of air between itfelf and the 

 water beneath. 



Th 



fee 



have been attended 



by the philofop 



French army, when they pafTed over ice to fubdue Holland ; fearino- 



ft the ice fhould be 



k for the pafTage of their troop 



ery, they bored many holes through it evtry ni^^ht 



d th 



by prefTure on its furface the water was made to rife throuo^h thefe 

 holes, Co as to ftand an inch above the furface; which beino- thus 

 expofed to the cold air of the night, became frozen before mornincr • 

 and thus in a few nights thickened and ftrengthened the ice ten times 

 more than would have been, done natur; 

 beneath it. 



lly by the flower free 



a 



3. To recapitulate the advantages of flood 



firft, not only 



common meadow grounds are enriched, but moraffy ones are confo 

 lidated, by the mud brought over them from river water • or 



th 



fediment, and 



fro 



m 



moft fp 



during thofe feafons when grafs does not naturally make much 



They are defended from froft by the flovv- 



progrefs in its growth 



ing water, or by the ice, when it is frozen 



d th 



arder 



a much for 



crop 



of g 



fs 



produced, as may frequently be fe 



over 



pieces of ground naturally moift ; which look green in the fp 



fome 



I 



/ 



V 



