1803. 071 the V-jfi-ci of Frojl on Gru^'tng Corns y ^c, 27 ^ 



good years ; yet fo tlcfcclivc was the feed, that not one, per- 

 haps, out of 500 grains, brought forward a plant to maturity. 

 This inftant clicck, however, 10 the farther filiiijjr of the grain, 

 and total depriviUion of its vegetative power, is produced only by 

 a frofl that is uu commonly fevere, and which continues through a 

 clear funfiiine. But the injuries brou'.dit upon tlic ripening crops 

 by the froil, aiTeif^ tiiem in every pc^llible degree, in a lower as 

 well as a higher m.anner, from a fmali hurt, that renders the 

 feed fomevvhat more backward to eonic on in the beginning 

 of the feafon, from which, hov/evcr, it foon recovers j to an- 

 other, in confequence of which, it pufhes out one, tv.o, or 

 three fmall roots, with great difficulfy, and in a long time ; 

 the leaf fmall, puny, and of a very bad colour. In thi$ 

 flate, a great proportion of the plants die, efpceially when the 

 feafon fets in droughty, or is cold and backward. This wa$ 

 very generally the itate of the feed in i 800. The fame thing I 

 have obferved upon particular fields in other years, though da- 

 maged in a lefs degree than in 1783, when tlie leaf came out, if 

 it did come cut at all, v.-ithout any root ; and, of courfe, it rare- 

 ly got above ground, but all pcriflied. That thefe various de- 

 grees of damage are fuilained in confequence of froft, is evident 

 Irom the following fad, which at m\\ appeared to me not a lit- 

 tle extraordinary, viz. That making a trial of grain, by putting 

 it under a fod, or in fertile earth, is not a certain criterion by 

 which we can determine whether it will fufiickntly vegetate or 

 not; becaufe, in this way, it v/ill often give latisfadion to moft 

 people, and yet afterwards turn out but very poorly in the hcKK 

 In makine the fame experiment v/ith barley, i hare found the 

 refult jult the contrary ; for it will anfwer better in the £eld, 

 than cither in this way or in malting- When oats^ in their green 

 or milky (late, are overtaken by froil, and thereby ilopped from 

 farther growth, they are generally rendered biaek in the kernel 

 (fheeling). Of tliis, we have had many proofs, efpeeially in 1782. 

 When in this ftate, there can be no deception ; for no man would 

 choofe to ufe fuch oats for feed. But when they are confiderably 

 advanced in filling and ripening, and feel liard when prjiled in 

 the hand, and at the fame time acquire a v.'hite and bright colour, 

 the deception is then very great ; and experioiee alone can deter- 

 mine us to fet them af.de. 



Having pointed out that flate of the weatlier in which corn will 

 be damaged by froft ; and alfo Ihown, that, in no llage of hlling, 

 or approaching lipenefs, is the danger diminiflied, I ihall next ad- 

 vert to the expofure of the fields, and fhow what fituations will 

 be frrft, or moll eafily afcdled, and alfo what will longeft refilt 

 the froll, and of courfe be moil apt to efeape. 



D d d 3 Low 



