Fegetable Statkks. 33 



a fufficient quantity, to keep the hops in 

 a healthy ftate; but in a rainy moift ftate 

 of air, without a due mixture of dry wea- 

 ther, too much moifture hovers about th e 

 hops, fo as to hinder in a good meafure the 

 kindly perfpiration of the leaves , whereby 

 the ftagnating fap corrupts, and breeds mol- 

 dy fen, which often fpoils vaft quantities 

 of flourifhing hop-grounds. This was the cafe 

 in the year 1723 , when 10 or 14 days al- 

 moft continual rains fell, about the latter 

 half of July, after 4 months dry weather ; up- 

 on which the moft flourifhing and promifing 

 hops were all infe&ed with mold or fen, 

 in their leaves and fruit, while the then 

 poor and unpromifing hops efcaped, and pro- 

 duced plenty 5 becaufe they being (mail, did 

 not perfpire fo great a quantity as the others ; 

 nor did they confine the perfpircd vapor , 

 fo much as the large thriving vines did, m 

 their fhady thickets. 



This rain on the then warm earth made 

 the grafs fhoot out, as faft as if it were in a 

 hot bed j and the apples grew fo precipitate- 

 ly, that they were of a very flafay conftitu- 

 tion > fo as to rot more remarkably than 

 had ever been remembred, 



D The 



