which had been carelefly set in the Corner of a Garden, and continued to work in it till it was quite fill'd with Honey and Wax; but I suppose the great space in the Hogfhead kept them from fwarming, which would be a means of their increafing greatly in number, though all the Bees of a Year old were to die.

Experiments and Obfervations concerning the Meafure and Improvement of Land, wherein are feveral particular Cafes flated, relating to Heath Grounds, with various Methods prefcrib'd for rendring fuch Land beneficial.

N the foregoing Introduction I have mention'd variety of Obfervations concerning Soil and Air, how much they ought to be confider'd by the Hufbandman and Gardener, before they attempt any thing Material in the Practice of their feveral Arts. I fhall now give some Examples of Lands which have been esteem'd barren, with the proper Methods of enriching them, and rendring them profitable to Mankind.

The firft Example relates to Heath Ground and its Improvement, wherein is explain'd the Difference of Value in the Meafure of Hills and Levels. The following Letter gives us a State of the Land when it bore nothing but Heath.

To

SIR,

To Mr. R. BRADLEY, SC.

Idred Acres of Land in Surry, which the Am now about purchafing Five or Six HunNeighbouring People tell me has born nothing but Heath in the Memory of Man; and fince Mr. tells me you think 'tis capable of Improvement, you will oblige me if you will give your Thoughts of it as foon as poffible. I am,

Yours,

R. S.

P. S. I fend you by the Bearer fome Specimens of the Earths, as they lie in their Beds; No 1 is the Surface, 2 the next, and so on.

Account of the Earths.

"No I, A black fandy Soil, which for four "Inches is mix'd with Roots of Heath; "the fame Bed of Soil (but without Roots) "is fixteen Inches deep on the Hills, and "in the lower Lands about two Foot: In "this we frequently find Stones resembling "rusty Iron.

"No II, or fecond Stratum, is white Sand,

"three Foot thick on the Hills, and is the "fame in quality and thickness in the Vale "or low Ground,

* No III, or third Stratum, a Vein of Gravelly "Soil, fix Inches deep on the Hills but "in the Vale, a grey Sand fourteen Inches

deep.

"No IV, or fourth Stratum, a grey Sand, two

66

Foot deep on the Hills, fomewhat wet "and fpringy; but in the Vale two Foot "four Inches Marle.

. Since I receiv'd this Letter, I had an Opportunity of viewing the Land; but as the Gentleman was not then in the Country, I fent him my Opinion in the following Epiftle.

I

SIR,

To Mr. R. S. &c.

Have carefully confider'd the Ground you are about to purchase, which the Country People believe cannot be made profitable by any means: For my own Part, was I to make a Purchafe of Land, I would much rather chufe it of this fort, than buy an Estate which has been already improv'd and ftrain'd to an high Rent; tho' it is very certain there must be fome Money laid out upon fuch Land as this, before it can become profitable: but that may be done by degrees; and a Man has the Satisfaction at the fame time to fet an Example to his Neighbours, which may be a publick Benefit.

But before I enter upon the Nature of the Soil, and the Method of improving it, it is neceffary I give you fome Hints concerning the Meafuring of fuch Lands as are Hilly or Mountainous, as many of them are in the Eftate you mention; for their valuable Contents, whether we plant, fow, or build upon them, are very different from what are found in flat or plain Ground; and to convince you of this, I fhall give you fome few Examples.