186 HOKTICULTURAL TOUR. 



that the elevation has arisen merely from sand-floods. Mr 

 Eldering has sunk various wells about his bleaching grounds, 

 and has had other opportunities of ascertaining the successive 

 strata downwards. It has been already noticed, that be- 

 neath the light vegetable mould, which is mixed with fine 

 sand, a bed of nearly pure sand occurs. This stratum of 

 sand seldom exceeds a foot in depth ; but it operates as a 

 beneficial drain, and without such a provision of nature, 

 the soil of this part of Holland would have been in a great 

 measure incapable of yielding those fine productions of Flora 

 and Chloris for which it is remarkable. In a country appa- 

 rently immersed in water, the delicate bulbous roots of hya- 

 cinths thus find a kindly soil, free from injurious stagnant 

 moisture. It is well known, that most culinary plants are 

 injured by the application of too much water, as they lose 

 in flavour as much as they gain in luxuriance. The open 

 cineritious soil of Naples requires constant supplies of 

 water, by artificial means ; and the vegetables there produ- 

 ced are said to be comparatively insipid. Here, by the 

 economy of nature, the porosity of the soil is so admirably 

 adapted to the humidity of the climate, and the super- 

 abundance of water in the surrounding ditches and canals, 

 that kitchen vegetables, in general, are not deficient in good 

 qualities. We may take this opportunity of remarking, 

 that, in a dry climate, cabbage plants are not only not in- 

 jured, but really improved, by copious watering over head, 

 even during winter. Mr Meason of Lindcrtis informs us, 

 that, in the south of France, near Lyons, in the middle of 

 the month of November, he found the people in a garden 

 watering Savoy cabbages profusely, — throwing a whole pot- 

 full of water upon each plant. They told him, that this 

 operation is frequently repeated while the weather is dry; 

 and that, in this way, they keep their Savoys quite green 

 and fresh during tin whole winter. 



