t 245 ] 



To this no pofitive or probable aniwer has been 

 given. It has been generally fuppofed, if one may 

 judge by the means commonly ufed to prevent it, 

 that it proceeds from the feed, whofe ftaminay by 

 fomc means or other, have been vitiated^ for all 

 the means of prevention I ever heard of, were 

 ufed in the preparation of the feed previous to its 

 being fowed. 



The moft common method is brining and liming 

 the day before fovving, which , is done either virith 

 fea-water, the brine of meat, or of fea-falt difTolved 

 in water made ftrong enough to bear an egg. To 

 this, fome whimfical people have capricioufly 

 added feveral ingredients, which are much more 

 likely to deftroy the vegetative principle of the {t^d^^ 

 than to remedy any evil the rudiments of which 

 might latently fubfifl: in it. To this purpofe, flour 

 of brimftone, aloes, copperas, and verdigreafe in 

 fine powder, afiafoetida, and even arfenick, have 

 been recommended to be infufcd in the pickle \ but 

 this is fo very al)furd, and even dangerous, that men 

 of fober common fenfe are both afraid and afliamed 

 of the praftice. 



The pra(5lice of brining and fteeping was fug- 



gefled by accident, cftablifhed by cullom, and 



continued againft all reafonable convidlion of its 



R 3 utilicyv 



