[ 368 ] 



ter part of the thefis, the author defcants on ex- 

 anthematic animalcula^ and appears to tavour that 

 hypothefis ; candidly confeffing, however, the dif- 

 ficulties that occur, and concluding with a firing 

 of doubts, propofed by way of queries, relating 

 to this abilrufe point, 



147. Usus HisTORiiE Naturalis. M,Aphomn^ 

 iy66. 



This ingenious difcourfe, written by a young 

 Ruffian nobleman, a iludent at Upfal^ is one of the 

 inoft entertaining and beft-digefted papers on the 

 fubje6t, that this colledlion affords, and cannot 

 fail to carry convi6lion with it. It is divided into 

 two parts : in the firft, he difplays the neceflity 

 of a knowledge of natural hiftory at large, in 

 leading the way to improvements in all branches 

 of agriculture, and in gardening : the utility efpe* 

 cially of being acquainted with the indigenous 

 plants of the country, an objedt greatly negleded, 

 and which, if more attended to, muft lead, as he 

 endeavours tofhew, to the improvement of woods, 

 hedges, the culture of barren ground, wet mea- 

 dows ; to the extirpation of hurtful plants, and 

 the better adapting paftures to the feveral kinds 

 of cattle. To illuftrate this latter pofition, he 

 mentions a memorable fa6l, related by Linnaeus 

 in the Iter Scanicum^ oi, a number of goats which 

 were perifhing in an ifland that abounded with the 

 Reed Bent Grafs, (Agroftis armdinacea) a plant 

 on which horfes feed with avidity, and thrive 



greatly. 



