other Grains; and the Salt of Tartar is not friendly to Peafe or Wheat, but is concordant to the Nature of Oats and Barly.

He farther obferves, that the Wheat, Barly and Oat not unfteep'd were up as foon as any of the reft; fo that he concludes fuch Brines as he used, rather retarded fome of the Grains steep'd in them, in point of Quickness of Growth, than brought them forward: But then he remarks, that three Spires of the Barly, which he left to grow at a Foot and half or two Foot diftance, increased fo exceedingly, that one had fixty, another fixty five, and the other fixty feven Stalks apiece from their fingle Grain or Root, with every one an Ear on, and about forty or more Grains apiece in them.

Digby mentions a Plant of Barly, that by fteeping first the Grain in Salt-peter diffolved in Water, and keeping the Plant watered with the fame kind of mixture, brought forth two hundred forty nine Stalks, and above eighteen thousand Grains; and Cambden mentions, that the Corn fown in a Field in Cornwal after a great Battel, brought forth four or five Ears on every Stalk, if he was not impofed upon. I am apt to fuppofe that the Richness of the Ground he fpeaks of, proceeded from the human Blood that was fpilt in the Battel, for it is certain all animal Bodies and their Appurtenances are great Helps to Vegetation, as I have explained in fome of my former Works.

CHA P. IV.

An expeditious Way of raising a Coppice or clofe Wilderness, with the Method of embellishing it with Wild Flowers; as alfo fome Hints for rendering it fill more Rural, by raising of tame. Pheafants and Partridges: In a Letter to Mr. R. S. of Surry. To which is added, the Method of improving Land by Alders and Abele's.

SIR,

“I

Had the Pleasure of your Commands re"lating to a Coppice or clofe Wilder"nefs, dated June 16. I find every one a66 grees with you, that to find an Invention "for making fuch a Plantation compleatly at "once, would fave Time, and that it would be, in fome fort, adding to the Length of "our Days.

"I have been diligent to obferve the Plan"tations made in feveral Nurferies, and have "as industriously enquir'd the Time of plant"ing of every Parcel of Trees growing in "them, that I might at least let you know Cc 3 "how

"how long you must wait for the Perfection "of the Plantation you defign.

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"By the Perfection of fuch a Plantation, I

mean, that it be planted compleatly, and "that every Plant be in that vigorous way of "Growth, that we may look upon it rather as "a natural than an artificial Work. I have "feen a Plantation of this Nature, which has "been only four Months planted, that has grown above four Foot high; and the fe"cond Year fome of the Plants have been a"bove eight Foot, which is high enough to give a pleafing Profpect. This I obferv'd "at Mr. Scot's, a very curious Nursery-Man "near Chelsea College.

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"The Accident which produced the tall "and upright Shooting of thefe Plants, gives "me Opportunity of prefcribing for your Defign the fame Method of Planting as was practis'd at Mr. Scot's: He tranfplanted a large Parcel of young Elm Plants out of "the firft Bed in March 1720, fetting them "in Rows about fix Inches diftant from one another, and the Lines about a Foot apart;

by which Means they were not fubject to "make too many collateral Shoots, but were all inclined to rife and meet the Air above; "fo that these upright Shoots had not only "their own natural Share of Nourishment, but likewife enjoy'd all that should have gone the Furniture of the collateral Branches. "In fhort, this Method of Planting anfwer'd "the End you feem to defire, better than I have feen; that is, it grew up in any "about eighteen Months Time to fuch an Height, and fo fully furnish'd, that a Plan

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❝tation

"tation in the ordinary Way would not have "done in lefs than four or five Year's Time.

"It is therefore I would advise, that you "make your Wilderness after this Manner "with young Plants, which must be cut pret"ty near the Ground at Planting, and in two "Years or lefs, you may begin to draw out "near half the Plants to be placed elsewhere "in your Grounds; this will encourage the "Growth of those which are left ftanding, by giving them convenient Air, and opening "the Earth about their Roots.

"Nor will the Charge of making this Plan"tation be more than if you was to plant large Trees at due Distances; the small Plants, though they will be perhaps eight "times more numerous, yet their Price will "be in Proportion to their bignefs, they will "more furely thrive and grow than large

Plants, and fill your Coppice much better, "and, as I obferv'd before, much more quick

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ly than large Plants: Befides, by their be "ing planted fo young, they will more easily "be naturaliz'd to the Soil, and profper three "times as well as others that had been ma"ny Years growing elsewhere. We find the "fame in ftoring of Ponds with Fish, that "if we stock a Pond with Spawn of a Year "old, the Fish will be larger in five Years "than any Fish we were to put in with them "of three Years old; for the young Spawn "are quickly naturaliz'd to the Water, and "thrive more in one Year than a Fish of "three Years old will do in nine Years, if "he changes his Water, 'tis fo hard to conquer Cuftom. "I're

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"I remember once a Gentleman of my Acquaintance planted a Thicket of young "Plants in the Manner I recommend, and "the fame Year planted a Grove of Trees a"bout nine Years old; his Thicket in lefs "than four Years grew taller, and had much "handfomer Plants in it than any in his Grove, "altho' the oldeft of his Thicket Plants were "not above two Years old when they were "fet in his Wilderness. So that fix Years "Growth in the Way of Planting which I "propofe, gives better Plants than thirteen "Years, where Trees are planted in Groves "the common Way; which is, in effect, gaining seven Years Time compleatly, while we "are paffing fix Years.

"In fuch Coppices I think no Plant is more "agreeable than the Filbert and Spanish Ha"zle, which laft may be fet in Nuts about "October; for I find no Nurferies which are "furnish'd with them, though I have expe "rienc'd that they grow very well.

"Neither is it neceffary to plant this Cop"pice according to any Plan or Figure; the "Walks may be cut when it is grown up, and "their Edges border'd with Cowflips, Prim"rofes, Violets, and other wild Flowers, to "make it appear more Rural; and if there' "fhould be enclosed with it two or three "Acres of Ground, to be fown with Furze "or Broom, for Harbour or Shelter for Phea"fants and Partridges, it would be yet more "pleasant.

We have Inftances enough of Pheasants, "tho' they have the Liberty of the Wing, "that are fo tame that they will every Night

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