Chap. XIII. THE CULTURE OF WHEAT. 69*. 



fea weeds, and the flimy mud which the lea leaves in creeks, before 

 they twy-failowj to allow time for thefe fuhftances to rot and mix 

 more thoroughly with the earth. Some fow by hand poultry and 

 pigeon's dung on the corn, after the hard frofls are paft. They' 

 reap great profit from this dung if the year is moifl : .but in dry 

 years it is rather hurtful. We would therefore rather advife fpread- 

 ing it. like Iheeps dung, before the laft plowing. 



When the ears of wheat are very full of grain, they are half 

 threfhed without unbinding the iheaves. By this means we obtain 

 the beft and ripeft grain, with few feeds of weeds ; becaufe the 

 weeds, being fliorter than the corn, are generally at the bottom of 

 the flieaf. Some farmers buy the gleaners corn, which being 

 gathered in fmgle ears, is generally the foundeft and beft.- 



The common pradlice is to fow wheat by hand, and cuftoni 

 brings the fower to fpread it pretty equally. In fmooth ground it 

 is generally harrowed in : but the harrow not being able to bury it 

 where there are large clods or ftones, two rollers are made ufe of^ 

 fix'd in a frame, and full of iron Ipikes. Thefe fpikes break the 

 clods, flir the furface of the earth, and cover the feed with it. This 

 roller is not fit for ftrong foils. The feed is there fown under 

 furrow. This plowing is very fhallow, that the grain may not be 

 buried too deep, for then it would not grow : but if the earth is 

 the leaft moift, it will be poached, grow hard, and be greatly hurt 

 by rolling. 



When the farmer has fown his corn, his trouble is at an end till 

 harveft. He then reaps it. We fhall only obferve, that wheat 

 may be cut before it is full ripe ; for it will harden afterwards in 

 the fheaf. If it is let ftand till too ripe, it will flied a good deal 

 in cutting, tying, and carrying home. It is partly to prevent this 

 inconvenience, that it is tied in the evening, and carried off the 

 ground in the morning. 



Some authors relate, that in Piedmont, they formerly drew a light 

 harrow over their corn when it had fpindled : and they add, that 

 tho' a great many of their plants were deflroyed thereby, the crop 

 was however much bettered by it. 



There are likewife farmers, who, to thin their corn when it 

 grows too thick, let in their hogs to deftroy part of it. Thefe 

 pradices, which cannot readily be approved of, may create the 

 greater confidence in the new hufbandry. 



When M. Duhamel pubhlhed the. firll volumes of his Culture 



des 



