Agriculture, and former State of Cultivation in Scotland. 487 
new to the spot, that mere culture calls into existence, or which the 
bare melioration of a onze waste surface, without at all disturb- 
ing the dormant subsoil, has been known to produce ? These ve~ 
getables can only have been protected from corruption, by a 
self-protecting principle inherent in previously existing seeds or 
germs, now by the hand of cultivation roused from their lethar- 
gic bed, and brought within the penetrating power of oxygenous 
light, displaying their love of life, ‘in their tenaciously contend- 
ing with, and overcoming, the utmost efforts of the cultivator to 
destroy their priority of right to unfold their beauties on their 
natal soil. 
I have known in swards whose surface to all appearance had 
lain for ages in undisturbed repose, (when broken up and the sub- 
soil turned towards the sun, and the new surface pulverised by 
the rake or the harrow,) an entire new race of vegetables in due 
time rise, take place of those now subsoiled, claim possession 
of the land of their nativity, and flourish in all the exuberant 
pride of new existence.—Lime the field, and a still greater abun- 
dance and variety will be produced. 
A flower border that had heen overrun with poppies was 
trenched down to thicken the soil, and get quit of the incum- 
bents: sixteen years after, when there was not, and had not 
been a poppy in the garden for some time,——for experiment sake: 
I retrenched the same ground, and brought back the buried 
soil to the surface, and a most plenteous blow of the strongest 
poppy and finest flower was produced. The seed of these 
plants must have lain in a quiescent state during the whole of 
that period, secluded from the life-giving rays of light, and 
secured against corruption and decay by the sheltering shield of 
nature, interposed to save her banished offspring from extinc- 
tion. 
A plot of red brocoli had been allowed to shoot, and was in 
full flower; part of the under blossom had recently dropped off, 
and the seed-pod but barely formed, when the whole was hacked 
down with the spade, and buried in digging for a new crop. 
Next season, when this ground was again turned over, the bro- 
coli leaves and stems were found completely consumed, except 
the more ligneous fibres of the roots and under stock. Ina 
short time after, I was very much surprised to observe the new 
made ground, that had received neither seed nor plant for that 
season, completely covered with a seed leaf of one uniform shade 
and appearance. Upon examination I found it was no common 
weed, but could not allow myself to suppose it was brocoli. It 
however turned out to be so, and allowing it to stand, I had the 
most abundant crop of brocoli plants; nor did the whole evolve 
the first year. The blow of brocoli continued for a succession 
Ees of 
