( t2o8 ) 
Water 5 and where a Field is fubjeft to Weeds, when the 
Water drys up, they prevent their growth in overturn- 
ing the Mud with their hands in the interftices where the 
Rice is planted. When they fow Wheat, Barley, Pulfe, 
and other Grains, they grub up fome fuperficial Earth, 
Grafs and Roots, and with fome Sttaw they burn all toge- 
ther 5 this Earth being lifted fine, they mix with the Seed, 
which they fow in holes made in a ftraight line, and fo 
grows up in Tufts as the Rice does 5 the field being divided 
into Beds and Harrowed over, both before and after the 
Seed is fown : This makes them fomewhat refemble Gar- 
dens. Altho they meliorate their Fields where they fow 
Rice, only by letting the Water on them, yet for other 
Grains, where Ground requires it, they make much ufe of 
Dung, Human Excrements, Afties, .d^^*. In watering their 
Fiel'ds here they ufe the fame Inftrument mention d hy Martini 
in the Preface to his Atlas, being all of Wood, and the con- 
trivance the fame with that of a Chain- Pump. 
Their method in making of Salt is this : All the Shores 
here being Mud, inftead of Sand, in the Summer feafon 
they pare off the fuperficial Earth, which has been over- 
flown with the Salt Water, and lay it up in heaps for ufe ^ 
when they are to ufe it they dry it in the Sun, rubbing it 
fmall 5 then digging a Pit, they cover the bottom thereof 
with Straw, at which through the fide of the Pit they pafs 
a' hollow Cane, that leads into a Jar, which ftands below 
the level of the Pits bottom 3 tliey fill the Pit almoft full 
with the forefaid Earth, and pour Salt Water thereon till 
itT^e covered 2 or 3 inches with Water, which drains 
through, into the forefaid Jar, and is afterwards boyl'd 
into Salt. 
Had I not found the Printed News Papers laft year take 
notice of a fingular Root brought from China by F. Fonta- 
ney^ f fliould not have told you, that I have feen one fince 
1 came here caird Hn-chii-H (which I take to be the fame J 
whereto they afcribe wonderful properties of prolonging 
life. 
