Chap. II. BY M. DE CHATEAU-VIEUX. 171 



ARTICLE III. 



Experiments made on lands laid out in beds, and of which the Jirjl crop 

 was reaped in 1753. RefteSfions on thefe experiments. 



" JN our journal of 1752, (p. 159.) we mentioned a perfon's 

 ^ having lowed at leall: twenty-eight acres in beds. Though 

 thefe experiments did not anfvver well, we have tiiought proper to 

 mention them, in order to fliew the caules to which their want of 

 fuccefs ought to be imputed. They will ferve to inftrud: us in fome 

 pradlices which are more neceflary than might otherwife be imagined, 

 and fix our attention to circumftances which ought not to be negleft- 

 ed by any one who defires to make the moll of his ground." 



EXPERIMENT. No. VIII. 



*« 'TpHESE twenty-eight acres were laid out in beds about fix 

 "■- feet wide. The foil is flrong, and apt to grow very hard. 

 Three rows were fown in each bed. 



" Only 460 pounds of wheat were ufed to fow this field, which 

 yielded but 3150 pounds of very clean grain. 



" This is a very fmall crop. Let us fee to what it was owing. 



1. " This land was very badly plowed : it could only be divided 

 into great clods, incapable of fupplying the wants of the plants,' 

 and of letting them imbibe the nourifliment necefiary for their 

 growth. That the bad ftate of the land was the chief caufe of the 

 fmuttinefs of this crop, appears from this ; that the mould in fome 

 fmall parts of the fame field being better divided, the wheat, in 

 thofe places, was finer, branched tolerably well, and produced a 

 greater number of flourilhing plants. 



2. " This field was fowed too late, viz. not till the lafi: week- 

 in November. Only part of the feeds fprung up before winter. 

 Thefe plants not rifing in a good feafon, could not make the pro- 

 grefs that might otherwife have been exped;ed. 



3. •* Too little feed was fowed. It was the more necefiary to 

 fow a larger quantity, as in lands badly prepared, numbers of. 

 grains cannot flioot at all, and many of thofe that do fhoot, are 

 fo buried under the great clods, that they are not able to rife. This 

 field was therefore not fufficiently ilocked with plants. 



Z 2 ** Laftly, 



■■• t 



