ons of the ground, I refer you to my
late Treatise of Earth, if what you meet with in this do not abundantly
encounter all those difficulties.
6. Being thus provided with seeds of all kinds, I would advise to raise
woods by sowing them apart, in several places destin'd for their growth,
where the mould being prepar'd (as I shall shew hereafter) and so
qualified (if election be made) as best to suit with the nature of the
species, they may be sown promiscuously, which is the most natural and
rural; or in streight and even lines, for hedge-rows, avenues, and
walks, which is the more ornamental: But, because some may chuse rather
to draw them out of nurseries; that the culture is not much different,
nor the hinderance considerable (provided they be early and carefully
removed) I will finish what I have to say concerning these trees in the
seminary, and shew how they are there to be raised, transplanted, and
govern'd till they can shift for themselves.
As to the air and water, they are certainly of almost as great
importance to the life and prosperity of trees and vegetables; and
therefore it is to be wish'd for and sought, where they are defective;
and which commonly follow, or indicate the nature of the soil, or the
soil of them; (taking soil here promiscuously for the mould;) that they
be neither too keen or sharp, too cold or hot; not infected with foggs
and poys'nous vapours, or expos'd to sulphurous exhalations, or
frigiverous winds, reverberating from hills, and other ill-situate
eminencies, pressing down the incumbent particles so tainted, or
convey'd through the inclosed valleys: But such as may gently enter and
pervade the cenabs and vessels destin'd and appointed for their
reception, intromission, respiration, and passage, in almost continual
motion: In a word, such as is most agreeable to the life of man, the
inverted head compared to the root, both vegetables and animals alike
affected with those necessary principles, air and water, soon suffocated
and perishable for the want of either, duly qualified with their proper
mixts, be it nitre, or any other vegetable matter; though we neither
see, nor distinctly taste it: So as all aquatics, how deeply soever
submerg'd, could not subsist without this active element the air.
The same qualification is (as we said) required in water, to which 'tis
of so near alliance, and whose office it is, not only to humectate,
mollify, and prepare both the seeds, and roots of v
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