IN Answer to the Ingenious Author of this Letter, I have already hinted in my Kalendar, at the Reason that induced me to fuppose the Afhen Keys came up the first Year, i. e. that thofe Seeds which are two Years old of Afh, will frequently, if not always, do it: But I am fenfible that the Afhen Keys fresh ripen'd will lie two Years in the Ground, as Sir Henry Goodricke affirms.

To follow the Dictates of Nature, in the putting of fome Seeds into the Ground, is certainly the reasonable way, and undoubtedly may be a Means of preferving them from the Rooks or other voracious Birds. But his Grace the late Duke of Rutland, to whom I read this Letter, told me, that the Seminaries which he made in Autumn, had fuffer'd extreamly by the Mice, Squirrels, and fuch like Vermin; fo that he imagin'd he had loft above half the Seed that was fown; fo that 'tis almost unavoidable but fome must be destroyed. But I think the fureft way of preferving those which lie two Years in the Ground, would be to fow them with fome Corn or Grain, which will pay more than the Expence of the Seminary five times over; and the Corn is of fo different a Make and Structure in its Parts from the Trees we fow with it, that it does not any way rob the Ground of the Nourishment which fuch Trees will require: And I am fully perfuaded, as well from what the aforefaid worthy Gentleman relates concerning his Nursery of Oaks, as from the Experience I have had fince I received his curious Letter, that Grass and Weeds rather contribute to the Preservation of young Seedling

Trees,

Trees, than do them any Harm; and therefore, as he justly obferves, that Expence of weeding is unneceffary, especially among those Trees which are tap-rooted, as Oaks, &c. The Poftfcript of the Letter gives me hopes that the Gentleman who wrote it will yet be fo kind to the Publick, as to continue his ingenious Experiments, and give the World an Opportunity of improving by them.

But let us now enter upon a few Remarks and Experiments relating to the Improvement of fome Soils and Grains, as they have been practifed by feveral ingenious and learned Men.

Dr. Bury of Compton in Devonshire tells us in a Letter, that the burning of the Surface, which is fo much practis'd in his Country, is only used in bad Lands, and by worfe Hufbands; for it robs the Ground, which he tells us, is not only an Obfervation of his, but alfo of his Grace the Archbishop of Dublin. If by bad Lands thefe Great Men understand the Moory or Heath Grounds, I cannot fee what well can be done with the Turf or Peat (which is the Heathy Turf) unless it be burnt upon the Ground: For though this is used for Firing by fome poor People, yet when there is any large Quantity of fuch Land turn'd up, there will be more Turf or Peat than can well be carry'd away. And again, as this Turf chiefly confifts of Roots and other parts of Vegetables, there must be in it many vegetable Salts, which after 'tis burnt, will be fixt; tho' indeed we may fay they are only the Salts of fuch Herbs and Plants as we feek to destroy,

and

and are not proper for the Crop or Grain they ought to nourish. But as we have obferved before, that by Solution, and expofing to the Air, thefe Alkaline Salts will yield the Marine Salt; fo the letting these Ashes lie for a while exposed to the Rain, Snow and Air, as Experience fhews, will bring them to that State, which Dr. Bury in his Letter efteems to be proper for the Improvement of decay'd or infertile Land.

The Doctor tells us, Salt quickens dead Land, and is ufed in the South-weft part of Devonshire, which would elfe be the barreneft, but is now the richest Part of it: The People in that Part of the Country get Sand as far as the Sea will permit at the lowest Ebb, and do not grudge to carry it upon Horfes Backs fourteen Miles to fpread on their Land, and thereby improve it both for Corn and Grafs, in other Parts of the fame Country they mend their barren Land with Lime.

He adds, that fome fuppofe that crude and fingle Salt, if ftrew'd on the Ground, does not improve, but corrode it, and Lime betters it; but in this they agree, that they produce not Grafs fit for the Scythe, but for Pasture, fhort and fweet, and growing all the Winter, nor are their highest Grounds parched in the hotteft Summer. This is matter of Fact, and known to every Ploughman. It is farther related, that by the coupling of these Male and Female Salts, the Country would be much improv'd; if the Sea Salt is too lufty and active of it felf, the Lime has a more balfamick and gentle Salt, which being directly join'd with the other, is thereby invigorated.

Glauber gives us a Leffon upon this Occafion, not unworthy our notice: Take, says he, Quick-lime, and let it flack by time without Water; then take Salt and Water, mix them together, and make them into Balls, dry them as you do Bricks, and burn them two Hours; he tells us this Compoft will enrich your pooreft Land.

And

Doctor Bury is fo far perfuaded of the good Effect of Salt and Lime, that in the Conclufion of his Letter, he wishes the Dutý were taken from Sea Salt, that it might be more generally used for the Improvement of Land. truly, I cannot help joyning with him in his Thought; for as he obferves, Grafs Grounds are much improv'd by common Salt; and fuch things as abound with Marine Salts, are greatly helpful to thofe Lands which are defign'd for any of the Gramineous or Graffy Tribe. 'Tis a common Practice in many Places near the Sea, to manure their Grounds for Corn with Sea Weeds, but they must be plough'd in pretty deep, and as foon (if poffible) as they are brought upon the Land; nor is the Brine or Lye for the Grain lefs to be regarded by fome People than the Manures for the Land 'tis to be fown in, therefore I fhall give the following Examples.

Mr. De la Prime has given us an Account of some Experiments relating to the steeping of Peafe, Wheat, Barley, and Oats, which are recorded in the Philofophical Tranfactions, and may ferve to lead the Curious how to judge of Brines for steeping of Seeds

On the twenty fecond of March he steep't A Pea, Barly, and Wheat in Brimstone Water. The

The fame kind in Allom Water.

Ditto, in old Diffol. of Sal. Tartar.

Ditto, in Cap. Mort of Sal. Arm. diffolved in Urine.

Ditto, in the Diffol. of Salt öf Walls:
The fame in the Diffol. of Nitre.
Ditto, in Urine.

After steeping them five Days and a Night, he fet them in a good Garden Soil, against a Wall full exposed to the Sun, on the twenty feventh of the fame Month, after a rainy Night, with a Pea, Wheat, Barly and Oat unfteep't.

On the tenth of April, the Pea, Barly, and Wheat steep'd in Brimftone Water were all up together

The Pea in Allom Water fwell'd, but not fprouted, but the others steep'd in the fame above Ground.

The Pea in Solut. of Sal. Tart. half come up,' the Wheat fcarce fprouted, but the Barly and Oat quite up.

The Grains fteep'd in Cap: Mort. of Sal. Armoniac diffolved in Urine were all up together, as alfo the others that were steep'd in Solution of Salt of Walls.

The Pea and Wheat in the Diffolution of Nitre were about half up, the Barly and Oat quite up.

The Barly and Oat fteep'd in Urine were come up, but the Pea and Wheat scarce fpróuted.

From whence this Gentleman obferves, that Allom Water is not agreeable to the Nature of Pease, and retards their Growth, because the Pea unsteep'd was up as foon as any of the Cc 2 other