84 NATURAL HISTORY 
earth d . The calcarious particles of which this coral is compoled, are 
difperfed all over the weftern fhores of Cornwall, as is plain from 
the coralline mofs, incruftations, efchars, iprig, and bunchy co- 
ral difperfed on the rocks, fands, and ore-weed of Mount’s-bay, 
Land’s End, and the North chanel, but the principal place in Corn- 
wall where this coral is found in fuch quantity as to be dredged for 
manure is in Falmouth Harbour, and the fhores adjoining c . 
Let me add that a great deal of this calcarious coral matter 
fwims unfixed and liquid in the fea water, of which the teflaceous 
animals form their fhells, and into which the fhells of dead animals 
are again refolved, and fupply materials for the dwellings of a frefh 
generation. Tis to this coral impregnation that we owe in a great 
meafure the fertility occafioned by the air, and froth of the fea, or 
fea-water carried upon the land with land or oreweed. In fmall 
iflands which are oftentimes wafhed all over by the Ipray of the lea 
during a ftorm, it is obfervable, that if fome gentle rain immedi- 
ately follows the ftorm, fo as to wadi in the nutritious contents of 
the fea-water, before they are dried and difperfed by the fun and 
wind, their grafs and other plants thrive furprizingly. 
CHAP. VIII. 
Of Hufbandry in Cornwall ; its ancient and prefent State. 
T H E art of Hufbandry was little pra&ifed in Cornwall two 
centuries ago ; ££ d heir grounds lay all in common, or only 
“ divided by ftitch-meale, and their bread-corn very little j their 
u labour horfes were fhod only before E , and the people devoting 
“ themfelves entirely to tin, their neighbours of Devonfhire and 
“ Somerfetfhire, hired their paftures at a rent, and ftored them 
“ with the cattle they brought with them from their own homes, 
“ and made their profit of the Cornifh, by cattle fed at their own 
“ fi° or ; the fame perfons alfo fupplied them at their markets with 
“ many hundred quarters of corn, and horfe-loads of bread.” Car. 
p. 19, &c. This was a very difad vantageous ftate of the commerce of 
this county, for the produces of the tin will always be fluctuating 
and precarious, but the necellity of flefh and corn is perpetual, and 
the returns from hufbandry properly managed, annual, regular, and 
conftant j people therefore increafing, and the mines fometimes 
d The feveral fhapes in which this coral appears, 
I fhall take farther notice of hereafter, amori" the 
marine productions. 
Some coral is found on the coaft of Ireland in 
Bantry-bay, and is counted the richeft manure 
they have in thofe parts. Natural Hiitory of 
Cork. Vol. II. page 380. 
_ f Not palled the remembrance of fome yet li- 
ving fays Mr. Carew, page 66, who publifhed 
in 1602. 
* Ibidem, page 67. 
failing, 
