Vegetable Staticks. 3 3 
a fufficient quantity, to keep the hops in 
a healthy ftate ; but in a rainy moift ftate 
of air, without a due mixture of dry wea- 
ther, too much moifture hovers about the 
hops, fo as to hinder in a good meafure the 
kindly perfpiration of the leaves, whereby 
the ftagnating fap corrupts, and breeds mol- 
dy fen, which often fpoils vaft quantities of 
flourifhing hop-grounds. This was the cafe 
in the year 1723, when 10 or 14 days al- 
moft continual rains fell, about the latter 
half of July, after four months dry weather* 
upon which the moft flourifhing and pro- 
mifing hops were all infeded with mold or 
fen, in their leaves and fruit, while the then 
poor and unpromifing hops efcaped, and 
produced plenty 5 becaufe they being fmalJ* 
did not perfpire fo great a quantity as the 
others; nor did they confine the perfpired 
vapour, fo much as the large thriving vines 
did, in their fhady thickets. 
This rain on the then warm earth made 
the grafs fhoot out as faft as if it were in a 
hot-bed; and the apples grew fo precipi- 
tately, that they were of a very flafhy confu- 
tation, fo as to rot more remarkably than 
had ever been remembred. 
D 
The 
