Chap. I. AT DENAINVILLIERS AND ACOU. tt^ 



opinion already given, M. Duhamel faw with pleafure, tliat tho' 

 the corn was lodged in feveral fields near that where the experi- 

 ment was made, the wheat which grew in rows efcaped being laid, 

 notwithilanding the length of the ftalks, and the largenefs of the 

 ears which were very full of grain. It may therefore be hoped, that 

 by following the new method, there will be lefs danger of this 

 accident, which fometimes robs the farmer of the fineft part of 

 his crop. M. Duhamel wiflies he could promife as much for its 

 preventing the blight in wheat : but this feemed to affed: equally 

 both that which was fowed in the common broad-caft way, and 

 that which was planted in rows. 'Tis true, that fewer of thofe 

 blighted plants remained in the rows, becaufe the hulhandman, 

 by means of the alleys, eafily picked them out. 



A farmer at Acou, obferving that the chief hopes of more than 

 common fuccefs by means of the new hufoandry, were founded on 

 the frequent flirring of the ground while the wheat was in it, and 

 on allowing each plant fufficient fpace to extend its roots, and thereby 

 colle^fl the more nourifhment; tried an experiment which appeared 

 to him very proper to difcover whether the effedl would anfwer. 



He carefully cultivated a grain of barley, which grew by chance 

 in his vineyard. This plant, fiid he, Hands diftant from any other ; 

 it can extend its roots every way j it is in a rich foil, and cannot 

 want for food: by jcining frequent culture to thefe advantages, this 

 plant of barley, according to the principles of the new hufbandry, 

 ought to yield a furpriling increafe. His reafoning was jufi:, and the 

 experiment confirmed it ; for this fingle grain of barley produced 

 two hundred ears, and about thirty ftalks which had no ears. 

 Some of the ftalks were four feet high, and moft of them three. 

 M. Duhamel counted 24 grains in a middling ear. Thus one grain, 

 planted in a good foil, and well cultivated, produced 4800 grains ; 

 and the ftraw of this fingle plant of barley, makes of itfelf a iheaf, 

 which M. Duhamel has in pofleffion.* 



It is proper to obferve, that, in thefe experiments at Denainvilliers 

 and Acou, we have followed M. Duhamel's computation, which is, 

 by the French buftiel, weighing 21 pounds of wheat; equal to very 



* Similar to this is the purport of a letter wluch M. Duhamel received from tlie' 

 reverend Dr. Hales, informing him, that a strain of barle)', which Mr. Hallier pkr.ied 

 in his i^arden iii the year 4720, produced an hundred and fiftv-.'^ur cars, which 

 contained 33CO grains : thefe he fowed the next year, at the uift.mce of three inches 

 from one another : they yielded him fomcwhat more than a buihel , which, being 

 lowed again, produced the third year, forty-five bufliels aiid a quarter. 



Q^ n«ar 



