Chap. 11. BY DE CHATE AU-VIEUX. 155 



that it may be of fervice to the wheat, not to remnin in a perpen- 

 dicular diredlion j and intend next year to be particularly attentive 

 td this. 



" It is not at all to be wondered at, that plants fown in the 

 common way, fliould not thrive fo well as thofe which grow in 

 beds. The former, not having been affiled by the ftining of the 

 mould, cannot draw fo much ncurifhment from the earth, as thofe 

 in beds. The fize of thcfe laft has indeed exceeded my expedta- 

 tion. There is reafon to be fatisfied with this manner of fowing, 

 even if it Were attended with no greater advantage than this year's 

 crops afforded. But if the quantity of feed is increafed, fo that 

 the field be ftocked with as many plants as it can nourifli, the 

 profit will be fo much the more confiderable. 



" It is time to return to our experiments on fields laid out in 

 beds, which are the more immediate objedl of the new hufbandry. 



" Thofe which I have made this year, have not brought the 

 produce of the new culture to near what it will be hereafter ; as 

 will appear from what I fhall next obferve." 



RefieSlions ofM. de Chateau-vieu, ivhkh prove the truth of tht 

 principles on whi(fh the new hujbandry is founded. ,:..i i 



«* \X/E fee by the experiment, No. I. that the earth, being irt a 



'' ^ loofer or more divided ftate the fecond year, is better able 

 to afford a greater quantity of nourifhment to plants, whofe produc- 

 tions will always be proportioned to the eafe with which they can 

 reach that nourifhment. 



«« I was in hopes that the experiments of this year would have 

 enabled me to determine what quantity of feed it is beft to fow, 

 in order to obtain the greateft crop. The lands on which I fowed 

 the moft feed lafl year, fliewed me plainly, that it would be right 

 to increafe the quantity, in order to provide againft the accidents 

 by which the plants had been thinned too much. 



" But this increafe of feed fhould be regulated with great dif- 

 cretion, regard being had both to the circumflances of the feafbn 

 in which the feed is fowed, and to the condition of the ground in 

 which it is planted. If the foil is in very fine tilth, lefs feed will 

 be fufficient. 



" The experiments of this year fhew, that there are but three 

 principal means by which we can obtain the utmofl production 

 that plants are capable of affording. Thefe means are practicable 



X 2 only 



