34 
ON THE MANAGEMENT 
The nature of this road-earth ought to be duly confidered 
when ufed in the Vine-compoft, and its proportion adjufted 
according to its quality. In a Tandy country it will naturally 
abound with particles of fand, and long and continued rains 
will, of courfe, wafh away its beft parts. High winds too, in 
dry weather, will as certainly deprive it of its lighted: and fineft 
parts, efpecially when roads lie on eminences, or enjoy an open 
expofure. Thofe materials, therefore, from roads, are generally 
preferable, which are produced from an inclofed track in a low 
fituation : Pavements, however, and hard roads, produce the 
bed; fulture of all. This compoft is much better when col- 
lected in a moderate dry date, than when it is either very wet 
or dudy. If fcraped off the road in a wet and foft date, when 
it is become dry it will be hard and cloddy, and will require 
time 
it either) which gives it life. Take of the moft barren earth you can find, drained, 
if you pleafe, of all its nitrous falts and mafculine parts, reduce it to a fine powder, 
(which may be done, even in large proportion, by a rude engine, letting fall a kind 
of hammer, or beetle, at the motion of a wheel) let this pulverized earth, and for 
the time inceffantly agitated, be expofed, for a fummer and winter, to the vicifH- 
tudes and changes of the feafons, and infliiences of heaven. By this labour and 
reft from vegetation, you will find it will have obtained fuch a generous and mafcu- 
line pregnancy, within that period, as to make good your higheft expectations ; and 
to this belongs Sir Hugh Platt’s contrition or philofophical grinding of earth, which 
upon this expofure alone, without manure of foil, after the like revolution of time, 
W'ill, as he affirms, be able to receive an exotic plant from the fartheft Indies, and 
caufe all vegetables to profper in the m.oft exalted degree ; and to bear their fruit as 
kindly with us as they do in their natural climates.” For a further account of this 
curious and important fubjeCf, fee page iy of the laft edition of Evelyn’s Terra, 
with Notes by Dr. Hunter. 
