Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/291

, or where the wall is defended from the rain) for Lime doth strongly attract it; though Dew and Rain do conveigh much of it to the Earth, and the Clouds seem to be spread out before the face of the Sun, either to imbibe some part of his influence, or to have a Salt generated in them, for to advance the fertility of the Earth, and certainly they return not without a blessing; for I have more than once extracted Salt-peter out of Rain and Dew, but from the latter more plentifully, and yet even there, is Salt-peter accompanied with a greasy purple Oil, in great plenty: Though (as I have found upon trial) that most standing waters, and even deep wells have some small quantity of Salt-peter in them; though the face of the Earth, if it were not impregnated with this Salt, could not produce Vegetables; for Salt (as the Lord Bacon says) is the first Rudiment of Life; and Nitre is as it were the Life of Vegetables; Yet to be more sure of it, I made Experiment likewise there too, and found some little of it in fallows, and the earth which Moles cast up in the Spring: Though I say the Air and Water want it not, yet it is not there to be had in any proportion, answerable to the charge in getting it: And though the Earth must necessarily have great quantities thereof, generated or infused into it; yet in these temperate Countries of Europe, it is no sooner dilated by Rain water, or the Moisture of the Earth, but it is immediately applied to the production or nutriment of some Plant, Insect, Stone, or Mineral; so that the Artist will find as little of it here to serve his turn, as in the other two Elements.

'The only place, therefore, where Salt-peter is to be found in these Northern Countries, is in Stables, Rh