OF EARTH. 



13 



Furthermore, good and excellent earth should be of the same constitu- 

 tion, and not of contrary, as soft and hard, churlish and mild, moist and 

 dry ; not too unctuous, nor too lean, but resoluble, and of a just and 

 procreative temper, combining into a light, easily crumbling mould, yet 

 consistent, and apt to be wrought and kneaded ; such having a modi- 

 cum of loam naturally rising with it, to entertain the moisture, does 

 neither defile the fingers, nor cleave much to the spade, which easily 

 enters it : this kind is usually found under the turf of pasture-grounds, 

 upon which cattle have been long fed and foddered. In a word, that is 

 the best earth to all the senses which is of a blackish gray, cuts like 

 butter, sticks not obstinately, but is short, light, breaking into small 

 clods, is sweet, will be tempered without crusting or chapping in dry 

 weather, or becoming mortar in wet. 



Lastly, By the sight, from all the instances of colour and other visible 

 indications ; for the common opinion is, though exploded by Columella, 

 that all hot and choleric grounds are red or brown ; cold and dry, black- 

 ish ; cold and moist, whitish ; hot and moist, ruddy ; which yet, exha- 

 lations from minerals, the heat of the sun, and other accidents may cause; 

 but generally they give pre-eminence to the darker grays ; next to the 

 russet ; the clear tawny is found worse ; the light and dark ash-colour 

 (light also of weight, and resembling ashes) good for nothing ; but the 

 yellowish red worst of all. And all these are fit to be known, as contri- 

 buting to noble and useful experiments, upon due and accurate com- 

 parisons and inquiries from the several particles of their constitutions, 

 figures, and modes, as far at least as we can discover them by the best 

 auxiliaries of microscopes, lotions, strainers, calcinations, and grindings ; 

 upon such discovery to judge of their qualities, and by essaying variety 

 of mixtures, and imitating all sorts of mould, foreign or indigene, to 

 compound earths as near as may be resembling the natural, for any special 

 or curioiis use, and thereby be enabled to alter the genius of grounds as 

 we see occasion 



^ I cannot in this place omit the beautiful and correct description that Virgil has given 

 us of the various soils : 



Next, of each various soil the genius hear ! 

 Its colour, strength^ what best dispos'd to bear. 



