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NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



when not allowed to seed — to the complete cover of 

 the ground by the leaves — to the quantity of root 

 which dies annually — and to the mould thrown up 

 by the red earth-worm, renovating the surface, and 

 partly covering the moss and decayed leaves and old 

 bulbs. It is a cmious fact, that, under pasturage, 

 fertility should increase in Britain and diminish in 

 Australia. An uncropt deep cover of grass appears 

 necessary to shelter the vegetable soil-matter during 

 the arid heat, and even to protect the roots from 

 being burned out, in the latter country. And the 

 manure of cattle, instead of being covered by the 

 luxuriant herbage before it is desiccated, and enrich- 

 ing the soil as in England, is, in New South Wales, 

 under the powerful sun and arid air, quickly reduced 

 to dust and dissipated. 



The fertility of soils may also be quickly increased, 

 and the vegetable cover thickened almost to any ex- 

 tent under tillage, by first rearing a quantity of large 

 growing annual vegetables, and when nearly full ex- 

 tended, burying this green vegetable produce in drills, 

 resowing the ground immediately with another fast 

 growing kind, and proceeding thus continuedly. 



The influence of birds in enriching forest soil, is 

 exceedingly limited, and is chiefly perceptible, not 

 in continued forest, but in some detached portions or 



