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That old feeds are preferred to new in fome ar- 

 ticles by experienced gardeners is very true, and I 

 believe with good reafon; biit this furnifhes a rea- 

 fon againft giving a preference to old turnip feed, 

 contrary to what it is brought for. Old melon and 

 cucumber feed is preferred to new, becaufe the 

 plants from old feed are far lefs luxuriant and more 

 fruitful. In a former paper we obferved, that lux- 

 uriance and fructification are very different things ; 

 and in a few, perhaps in no genus of plants, are they 

 ftrictly compatible; but the roots of the turnip can 

 never be too luxuriant, and the more they are fo, the 

 more fecure they are from the ravages of the fly. 



Many are the nofirums for the prevention or re- 

 medying the evils of this deftructive infect ; but like 

 a charm for the cu, re of the ague and the tooth-ache, 

 they are found to be equally fabulous and quackifh. 

 It is certainly very bad reafbning to conclude, that 

 becaufe certain things are difagreeable to our fmell 

 and tafte, they muft neceffarily be fo to creatures of 

 a different kind; — and yet from this fource their 

 recommendation feems to originate. From the 

 great encomiums beftowed on elder, I was in great 

 hopes a fpecifick remedy had been found; I there- 

 fore determined to give it a fair trial : — accordingly 

 I repeatedly drew elder branches, not only over beds 



of 



