^ 



Chap. r. EYM. DIANCOURT. 12 



rows produced as many as the double ones. Some ftalks had up- 

 wards of 180 pods. 



This prodigious fertility can be afcribed to nothing but the good 

 culture of the ground ; and is a ftrong proof that the great fuccefs 

 which many have imputed to the effecSl of certain myfterious fteeps 

 or infufions, has in fadt, been owing folely to the goodnefs of the 

 foil and the proper culture of it. 



In order that plants raifed according to the new principles may en- 

 joy the benefit of the culture of the alleys, their roots mull be able to 

 extend themfelves to a pretty confiderable diftance. This refle£tion 

 made M. Diancourt take up carefully fome of his plants of beans 

 and wheats to examine their roots. 



The roots of the beans extended, in general, upwards of three feet 

 from their ftalk. Almoil all the roots of a grain of wheat which 

 had produced 93 fine ears, were from 1 5 to 18 inches long; but 

 inftead of fpreading horizontally, like thofe of the beans, they fliot 

 down perpendicularly. From hence it may be concluded, that it is 

 needlefs to make the alleys fix feet wide ; but highly proper to give 

 the beds the greateft depth of loofe mould that the ftaple of the foil 

 will admit of, either by plowing deep, or raifing the earth high 

 where the rows are to be planted. 



M. Diancourt fowed eight perches of land, with oats, in double 

 rows, and alleys fix feet wide. The moft prejudiced againfl the 

 new hufbandry were forced to own, that two of his rows produced 

 more grain than the whole eight perches would have done if fowed 

 in the common way. 



There are two kinds of infers in M. Diancourt's grounds, which 

 gnaw the roots of v/heat. Our gardeners call one of them the red 

 worm : the other is the millepedes or Scolopendra. M. Diancourt 

 has begun experiments in order to try whether they cannot be guarded 

 againfl by earlier or later fowing of the ground that is infedted with 

 them. The event of thefe trials, which M. Diancourt juftly looks 

 upon as very interelHng, is yet uncertain : but M. Diancourt obferving 

 one day a tuft of wheat which languifhed, judged that its roots were 

 preyed upon by thefe infedls. To fatisfy himfelf therein, he puU'd 

 up the tuft, and found a worm in it. He then cut off half the 

 length of the leaves and roots, planted the tuft again, and watered 

 it, becaufe the earth was extremely dry. The tuft grew very well, 

 and produced 1 2 perfeftly found ears, four inches long. 



M. Diancourt varied his experiments for the next year, by fowing 



R 2 in 



