248 SOILS, MANURES, &c. 
years; it at length recovered its fertility, 
but did not afterwards appear to have 
derived any advantage from the expe¬ 
riment. 
It is true, the marlhes, or low grounds 
near the fea, and mouths of rivers, which 
are periodically inundated by fait water, 
afterwards produce herbage luxuriantly ; 
but it does not feem necefiary to conclude 
from that circumftance, that the foil be¬ 
comes enriched by the fea fait: it may, 
indeed, receive conliderable benefit from 
the animal and teftaceous fubftances 
brought upon it by the water, and left 
on its furface when it fubfides ; but from 
the foregoing experiment, and the known 
properties of fea fait, may it not be 
reafonably prefumed, that the fait itfelf 
a6ts rather as a prefent poifon, than as a 
future promoter of vegetation ? The foil, 
indeed, evidently requires a confiderable 
