Chap. XIII. THE CULTURE OF WHEAT. 65 



*' moift, hinder the fun from confolidating it, and dcilroy weeds, 

 " which help fo much to bind it. Perhaps the carrot-rooted may 

 *' operate likewife, by feparating more moiflure from the root to 

 ** keep the earth loofe." 



We fluall conchide this chapter with obferving, that when we 

 admit that plants degenerate in climates or foils which do not agree 

 with them, we are far from thinking they change their fpecies 

 thereby; that wheat becomes barley, oats, tares, &c. This opinion 

 is fo exploded now, that it needs no refutation. We cannot how- 

 ever avoid mentioning the following experiment, from M. Du- 

 hamel, made by a neighbour of his in the country. 



The chevalier de Laumoi, in order to fatisfy himfelf whether 

 March wheat does really degenerate into barley, as many have af- 

 ferted j and well knowing it is almoft impoflible to buy wheat in 

 which there is not fome mixture of barley, any more than it can be 

 had abfolutely free from rye ; picked grain by grain a quantity of 

 March wheat fufficient to fow an acre of land, and at the fame time 

 fowed another acre with feed bought at market, without being 

 culled. He was not furprifed, at harveft, to find barley in this lafl 

 acre ; for, as he had fowed it, it was natural he fliould reap it : but 

 in the other acre, where he was fure he had not fowed any barley, 

 he did not find a fingle ear of it; nor could he, on a nice examina- 

 tion, find one grain of barley in any of the ears. If therefore a 

 little rye is found in wheat, and a little barley in March wheat, it 

 is becaufe thefe grains are fowed in the fame feafon, in lands equally 

 prepared : they are gathered in at the fame time, and laid up in the 

 fame barn. This is more than enough to occafion the mixture that 

 is almoft always obferved. 



After having mentioned the general principles on which the new 

 hufbandry is founded, we fhall apply it to the particular culture of 

 different plants, fuch as wheat, turneps, fain-foin, lucerne, &c. \Vq 

 {hall begin with wheat; firft in the old, and then in the new way. 



CHAP. XIII. 



Of the Culture of Wheat. 



SOME farmers plow down their wheat ftubble immediately after 

 harvefl : fome burn the ftubble before this plowing : others 

 delay this plowing till after feed-time, and others even till ipring ; 

 not only to allow time to colledt the ftubble, which ferves to thatch 



K their 



