Chap.XII. OF CHANGE OF SPECIES. 63 



As it is propofed to plow the ground whilft the plants are grow- 

 ing, the alleys fliould be wider for large plants than for fniall ones ; 

 for fuch as remain long on the earth, as wheat, than for thofc v/hich 

 are but a fliort time on it, as barley. The breadtii of the alleys 

 fhould likewife be varied, according as the earth is iliiTer or lighter. 

 But, in general, when land is fowed with wheat, the alleys ought 

 to be four feet, or four feet and a half wide. 



CHAP. XIL 



Of Change of Species. 



BOTH the Englifh and French have moft of their flax feed from 

 Flanders; and it is obferved that when they fow that feed, the 

 crop of flax is much finer than when they fow their own. 



Cauliflower feed was for a long time brought from Malta, melon- 

 feeds from Italy, the feed of lucerne from Languedoc ; and good 

 farmers are very careful in changing part of their feed corn every 

 year. 



There feem to be many reafons why this pradice fhould ftill be 

 continued. 



Some plants agree better with one climate than another. Such will 

 thrive beft in the climate that may be called moft natural to them. 

 Sickly plants never bring their feeds to perfedlion ; and to this it is 

 undoubtedly owing, that the feeds which are gathered in a climate 

 that does not agree with the plant, produce that plant lefs perfe<£t 

 than thofe which are gathered in a climate that is natural to it. 



With all the art the French make ufe of to raife melons, they 

 fall fhort of thofe of Italy, where this plant grows almoft without 

 culture *. If they did not take care to fave the feed of their beft 

 melons, they would foon have no good ones left. But as their beft 

 melons are inferior to thofe of Italy, fo their beft feed may be com- 

 pared to the middling feed of that country. This ftiews fufficiently 

 how right it is to bring the feeds of plants from thofe countries 

 where they thrive beft. 



It is evident that in the fame province, the quality of the foil 

 may have the fame effedl on corn, as the climate has : for when 

 plants grow ftinted and fickly in a poor foil, it is natural to believe 



that 



* This, fays Mr. Duhamel, is difputed : for though in hot countries all melons 

 are eatable ; yet fome pretend that there are fev/ fo good in Italy, as at Paris and ia- 

 Touraine. 



