, ( ) 
that- being rotten the Salt is waQied away by the Water, 
and there remains only the Earthy, and efpeciaJly the 
Sulphureous parts of them, as appears from the Inflam- 
mability of Turf 3 now Shells being chiefly a Salt, it in- 
corporates with the Sulphur of the Plants, and renders 
them fit for the Vegatation of New Plants. 
And this appears further from this, that Shells, that 
have been under the Salt Water, are much better then 
fuch as have been in the Earth,or dry at the Strands : Al- 
moft about the Bay of Londonderry if you dig a Foot 
or two it yields Shells, and whole Banks are made up of 
them 3 but thefe, tho’ more intire then fuch as are brought 
out of the Shell ifland, are not fo profitable for Ma- 
nure. 
lobferved in a place r\.'^ 2 iX NewtovpnLamavady^^^o'jitt'^o 
Miles from the Sea, a Bed of Shells, fuch as lie on the 
Strands the place was cover’d with a Scurf pf wet fpouty 
Earth about a Foot thick 3 the Country People ufed the 
Shells, but they were not reckon’d fo good as thofe that 
are found in the Sea or near it. 
. The Land about the Sea- fide bears very indifferent 
Wheat, nor will the Shells, in that particular, without 
fome t)ung3 but I very much doubt whether that be not 
due to the ignorance of the Farmers that generally under- 
ftand nothing of Wheat. 
Some thoufands of Acres have been improved by the 
Shells, and that which formerly was not worth a Groat 
per Acre, is now worth four Shillings : They have in 
many Places thus improved the very Mountains that be- 
fore were very Turf Bogs. In thefe they meet with this 
inconveniency, that if the Seafon for Plowing proves 
wet, their Horfes fink fo deep in the Soil, that they can’t 
Plow it, efpecially after two or three Years. 
They commonly made Lime of the Shells formerly, 
and fome do fo ftili. I have not, that I remember, feen 
any fuch Lime, but I underftood that it bound very well, 
and 
