1800.] On Fertifiiy. 89

inches equal to the total fertility of the Es inches.:-i€ is evident that each component part of the. firſt muſt be poorer. as 3 to 2; therefore every ſurface of the firſt muſt be more attr active of fertility in that proportion; and, i in the ſucceſive expoſures of cultivation, the ſame ate ive ratio of im; RZ from the influence LE che air muſt reſult ad infin itu. LA Uol; T would augue, that UE paſſing air is the gene Af cauſe of ferti- lity; that a- greater guantity of this beneficial influence< Sill be imbibed bv the pooreſt mould; and that deeper cultivatioh 1s 2 very poſible expedient for p DEFENSE ſterile mold for this more rapid imbibition of fertility.

The objedion againſt deepe er cultivation is of a. temporary nature; that it will‘bring into vegetation thoſe ſeeds of weeds which are every where buried in the carth; and though theſe are uſually ſlight annual weeds, ſome additional Á bau is required for their extermination. Ás to the conſtant additional labour of deeper ploughing, it repays itſelf as aig as an inſurance ac aainſt the injurious efes of drought and rain. In a drought the loweſt roots will ſupply more moiſture than uſual from their deeper ſituation; in exceſſive rains, the upper roots remain con- ſiderably leſs drenched than uſual; becauſe, in tenacious lands, water ſinks immediately to the R of the ploughing, and its detention, at nine inches from the ſurface, leaves a drier fitu- ation for the upper roots than if it were detained at three inches nearer to them.#+

* To what can the ſuperior fertility of gardefs be attributed, Except the deeper action of the ſpade than of the plough? The larger quant ity oï dung which is ſometimes beſtowed on gardens js due to them of right; tor they produce ore vegetables, the immediate origin of more dung. Their ſupe- rior vegetation is indeed augmented by dung; but that very/ dung has been produced from their deeper cultivation. Ev ery thing has a right to Îts own re-aCions.

+ A chemical friend, on reading this paper, ſaid, that he was rather of opinion, that air induced fertility in mould by NeW combinations, than by any depoſition attra&ted by chemical affinity. Thougl h T do not(ubſctibe to his opinion, it is ev ident, that to the purpoſe of augm enting fertility, more Vigo- rous combinations would reſult between all fubſtances on rhe firſt conta than afterwards(in proportion). S0 that his amendment rather extends.to 2 phraſe, than any thing eſſential in the above diſcuſſion,

HALA rau pei STATE. OF LH ERATURE IN“ SPAIN. To the Editor of the Commercial and Agricultural Magazine: MR. EDITOR,

ONCERNED, as I feel, in the ſucceſs of ycur intereſting eS

Miſcellany, I would bes permiſſion to correét ſome grol misſtatements which have crept into your Liſbon Cor reſpondent’s letter, inſerted in the eleventh number öf your Magazine, re- ſpedting the preſent fte of literature in Spain. Your corré-

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