S P R 



fxrar or iig^, which is now become of little value, in con- 

 fcquence of the prelTare of taxation ; as, from the quicicnefs 

 of its growth, it would be the moll likely to anfwer and fuc- 

 ceed in fnch fituations. Were only one half of the gi'ound 

 now employed in the growth of bear or bigg crops, it is 

 faid, appropriated to the raifing of fpring wheat ; it would 

 furnilh a quantity of this fort of grain, equal to the ufual 

 average of imported wheat, and any foreign fnpply be un- 

 neceflary. The propriety of growing fpring wheat in thefe 

 fituations, and the iflands connefted with them, is ftill more 

 Wrongly enforced, it is faid, by the high opinion which has 

 been formed of it by the late Dr. John Walker, profefTor 

 of natural hiHory in the umverfitv of Edinburgh, in a work 

 lately publilhed, entitled the " Economical Hillory of the 

 Hebrides and Highlands of Scotland," which is equally 

 deferving the attention of the fouthern, as well as the 

 northern cultivator, though more particularly calculated 

 for the latter. After noticing the time and manner in 

 which it was brought into that country, as already fecn, 

 and the nature of its growth and produce in different forts 

 of land, it is remarked, that it " will be allowedj that our 

 common winter wheat could not have afforded fuch a crop, 

 or indeed any crop in the fame fpace of time. It appears, 

 therefore, to be a grain better adapted for a northern than 

 a fouthern climate ; that it might be raifed in many parts 

 of the fouth of Scotland, where winter wheat is not fown ; 

 and that of all the different forts of wheat, it is the molt 

 promtfng to be attempted in the Highlands." 



In refpeA to the means of procuring or providing the 

 feed of this fort of wheat, it has been ftated by fir Jofeph 

 Banks, in a paper inferted in the fifth volume of Communi- 

 cations to the Board of Agriculture, that as in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the towns of Bolton and Spalding in Lincoln- 

 (hire, the growth and cultivation of it are now fully pftablirti- 

 ed, and likely to continue ; from either of thefe places, coiife- 

 quently, the feed may at any time be procured without dif- 

 ficulty, in fuch quantities as are wanted, even when con- 

 Cderable ; and that, as there is a water communication be- 

 tween thefe two places, and as the former is a fea-port, it 

 may always be brought to the metropolis, or any other 

 maritime part of the country, at a fmall charge. It may 

 (Conftantly be had at the above fea-port at the fame or fome- 

 what lefs prices than winter wheat. And any of the prin- 

 pipal merchants at it may be depended on for a proper 

 fcipply. In fmall portions, many of the chief feedfmen in 

 the metropolis or any large towns can moflly fupply it. 



It would appear on the whole, from the account which 

 has been given of the hillory, nature, properties, ufes, and ad- 

 vantages, as well as other circumllances in refpeft to fpring 

 wheat, that a more full and general introduftion of it into 

 the fyllems and praftices of arable farming, efpecially on 

 light and fome other lands, where the regular wheat huf- 

 bandry cannot be carried on, mult be of very confiderable 

 importance, not only to the interelts of individuals, but to 

 the nation at large, in affording better and more certain 

 profits, and at the fame time guarding againft the danger of 

 fcarcity. 



Spring Bay, in Geography, a bay on the N.E. coall of 

 the idand of Barbadocs. 



Sphikg IJland, a fmall ifiand near the coaft of South 

 Carolina. N. lat. 32° 22'. W. long. 80° 57'. 



Spring Town/hip, a townlhip of Pennfylvania, in Centre 

 county, containing 1550 inhabitants. 



SPRINGE, or Hallerspringe, a town of Weftphalia, 

 in the principality of Calenberg, the chief trade of which 

 Cflnfilts in beer ; i z miles E. of liameln. 



S P R 



SPRINGER, in Ichthyology, a name given by authors 

 to the grampus. 



SPRINGERS, in Architeaure, the ribs of a groin, or 

 concentrated arch, which fpring from their refpeftive im- 

 ports, and meet together in an orb or knot in the centre of 

 the whole vault. The ribs of the arches were ufually made 

 of hard ftone, while light toph Hone or chalk was preferred 

 for filling up the interitices. 



SPRINGES, a fort of horfe-hair noofes, made fo as to 

 run very eafy, and planted in the places where birds run in 

 fome particular path, to take them as they pafs. 



Thofe birds that frequent the waters, or love to paddle 

 and feed in wet and plafhy places, are the molt eafily taken 

 by fnares. 



The fportfmen who would ufe them to advantage, mud 

 firft carefully fearch out the haunts and places where the 

 fowls come in flocks, or in couples, and feed in the morning 

 and evening hours. The furrows and water-tracks in thefe 

 places are principally to be regarded ; and wherever the 

 feveral furrows, or water-courfes, meet in one, and after- 

 wards divide into feveral others, thefe places are to be re- 

 marked above the relt : the places which have molt marks 

 of the birds' feet, give alfo the furell of all proofs, that they 

 are well frequented. When thefe places are found, there 

 (hould be placed a number of fmall and fliort Iticks crofs- 

 wife athwart all the other paffages, one Itick being placed 

 about half an inch from another, and making together a kind 

 of fence, guarding every way, except that one through which 

 it is intended the fowls (liould pafs. This being done, a 

 good ftiff (lick is to be provided, cut flat on each fide ; both 

 ends of this Hick are to be planted under water, fo that the 

 upper part of the flat fide may only be upon a level with the 

 furface ; then a bow is to be made of hazel, or willow, m 

 the form of a pear, broad and round at one end, and nar- 

 row at the other, and at lealt a foot long, and five or fix 

 inches wide : at the narrow end of this there is to be a nick 

 or dent. Then a iliff young grown plant of hazel, elm, or 

 withy, is to be chofen, being bulhy and alear, and without 

 knots, three or four inches about at the bottom, and about 

 an inch at the top. Having made the bottom end of this 

 Iharp, at the top of it there muft be faftened a very Itrong 

 loop, made of about a hundred horfe-hairs, platted very fait 

 together with ftrong packthread, and made to flip any way 

 with great eafe. This noofe or loop fhould be jull of the 

 dimenfions of the pear-fafliioned hoop before-mentioned. 

 Then hard by this loop, and within an inch of the end of 

 the plant, there is to be faftened, with ftrong horfe-hair, a 

 broad and thin trigger, made fharp at both ends. Then the 

 bigger Iharp end of the plant being made fall in the ground, 

 jull by the edge of the water, the fmaller end, with the loop 

 and the trigger, mull be brought down jull to the firlt 

 bridge; and the pear-falhioned hoop being fet upon the 

 bridge, one end of the trigger muft be let upon the nick in 

 the hoop, and the other end on the nick made on the fmall 

 end of the plate, which by the violence and bend of the 

 plant will make them all ftick together till the hoop be re- 

 moved. This done, the loop is to be laid upon the hoop 

 in fuch falhion as the hoop is proportioned ; then from each 

 fide of the hoop little Iticks are to be pricked, as before 

 direfted, making as it were a kind of impaled path-way, 

 widening it all the vvay as it goes farther from the hoop, and 

 making it fo confiderably wide at the end, that any fowl 

 that chances to come that way may be entered a confi- 

 derable way in before flie perceives the fence ; by this, 

 means the bird will be enticed to go ttraight on to the 

 fpringe, and as foon as (he touches it, either with head or 

 feet, fhe will be certainly caught ; and thus, if the plant 

 2 be 



