(ECONOMY 
74 
Many plants , and Jhrubs are armed with 
thorns, e. g. the buck-thorn , Jloe , carduus , o?/- 
ton-thifile , &.c. that they may keep off the ani- 
mals, which otherwife would deftroy their fruit. 
Thefe at the fame time cover many other 
plant s 9 efpecially of the annual kind, under 
their branches u . So that while the adjacent 
grounds are robbed of 2l\ plants by the voraci- 
ty of animals, fome may be preferved, to ripen 
flowers and fruit, and flock the parts about 
with feeds, which otherwife would be quite ex- 
tirpated. 
All herbs' c over the ground with their leaves, 
and by their fhade hinder it from being totally 
deprived of that moifture, which is neceffary 
to their nourifhment. They are moreover an 
ornament to the earth, efpecially as leaves 
have a more agreable verdure on the upper, 
than the under fide. 
The mojfes , which adorn the mofl barren 
places, at the fame time preferve the leffer 
plants, when they begin to fhoot, from cold 
and drought. As we find by experience in our 
u This obfervation may be extended farther ; for it is 
eonftantly feen upon commons, where furze grows, that 
wherever there was a bufh left untouched for years by the 
commoners, fome tree has fprung up, being fecured by the 
prickles of that Jbrub from the bite of the cattle. 
