82 DISTEMPERS OF CORN. Part I. 



the grain has time to be duly formed, and to be filled with flour. 

 Corn fown according to the new hufbandry, being later in bloom than 

 that which is fowed in the common way, is fo far more liable to the 

 danger of great heats. This is therefore a good reafon for fowing 

 earlier, that it may bloom as foon as in the common way. 



It is not polTible to prevent the effefts of lightning or of froft, 

 nor to alter the caufes which hinder the grain's being impregnated. 

 But bv means of the new hufbandry one confiderable caufe of this 

 llarivelling of the wheat may be guarded againft. 



When the corn is lodged whilll the grain is yet milky, the juices 

 cannot flow freely through its ftalks which are then either broken 

 or greatly bent. The grain, which receives no more nourifhment, 

 ripens without being filled with flour. 



It is not the weight of the ears which makes the corn lodge. If 

 the ftalk is large and ilrong, it will fupport the ear, be it ever fo 

 full of grain. But to give it that ftrength, it is neceifary that the 

 air and fun fliould have free accefs to it, and that the plant have 

 fuflicient nouriihment while it is in the earth. 



In the common hufbandry, the plants have lefs nouriihment ; and 

 as the ftalks ftand thick together, fmothered and covered from the 

 fun, they are tender and brittle. But in the new hufbandry, every 

 ftalk receiving abundant nourifliment during the whole time of its 

 growth, and being always expofed to the air and fun, it becomes 

 large and llrong enough to fupport the ear. 



It is agreed, that corn which grows in a rich foil. Is tall, and 

 more liable to be lodged, than what is flinted in its growth. But 

 this is owing to the weaknefs of the flraw, and not to the weight 

 of the ears. We frequently fee that tufts of wheat which grow in 

 vineyards and other places, expofed on all fides to the fun and air, 

 are lefs fubjedl to be laid than tufts which grow in the middle of 

 large fields. Farmers finding that their corn on the richefl land is 

 moft liable to be laid, caufe it to be eat down when it is very rank, 

 or mow it, in order to bring it to a level with the weak and fhort, 

 and prevent its being lodged at harveft. This pradlice is very wrong; 

 for the farmer thereby lefTens his crop, or brings it on the level of 

 a fecond crop, where the ears are always fmall and light. They 

 are afraid of the grain's fhrivelllng, if the corn is lodged ; and, to 

 avoid that inconvenience, they have recourfe to means which will 

 certainly render the ears fmall and lefs ftored with grain. Befides, 

 the grain is generally good when it ripens in due feafon : but by 

 2 feeding 



