zoh EXPERIMENTS ON WHEAT, Part II. 



it done in the field of the eighth experiment, without hurting or 

 dellro}'ing a lingle ear. 



" I'he three fields on which the experiments mentioned in this 

 article were made, have all their beds in the fame diredion, viz. 

 from Eail: to Well, and lie fomewhat Hoping toward the Weft. 

 Soon after the wheat had done blofloming, a ftrong fouth wind 

 blew for fome hours, accompanied with a heavy rain, which madq 

 all the wheat of thefe three fields incline tov/ards the north. It re- 

 mained in this fituation till harveft, and the ftalks grew fo crooked 

 that the points of the ears turned down tow-ards the ground : they 

 remained thus fufpended, by the ftrength of the ftalks, wliich feemed 

 even to increafe : for I did not find that they bent any more, though 

 the weight of the ear increafed as the grain grew riper. 



" In this fituation, this wheat continued to profper : the ears filled 

 with grain to the very point : they grew as large and heavy as thofe 

 of the other fields ; and had befides the advantage of being of a finer 

 colour. This quality helps corn to fell fooner and more eafily, be- 

 caufe the buyer judges by his fight more than by his other fenfes. 

 It is of confequence in all forts of goods, to catch the eye; but 

 there is no fear of its deceiving one in the choice of wheat : the 

 good colour of the grain is always a fure fign of its foundnefs, and 

 invites the purchafer to buy it with confidence. 



" Since then there is no fear that any damage will arife from 

 wheat's being bent, there is no caufe to repine or be uneafy at fee- 

 ing it in that fituation. But, befides what I have been faying, I 

 muft now offer fome reafons why I think it may perhaps be better 

 for wheat to be bent and curved in that manner, than for it to grow 

 almoft quite upright. 



" Let us confider what effed rain, the moifture of the air, and 

 dews have upon the ears of corn in both thefe fituations. When 

 the ears fiand upright, and almoft perpendicular, they retain a great 

 deal of wet in rainy and dewy weather. This wet infinuates itfelf 

 very, eafily between the hufks that cover the grain, and gets even 

 into the infide of them. This water, thus got within them, re- 

 mains there, and does not evaporate fo eafily as that which is only 

 on the outer furface of the huflcs, which the motion of the air, or 

 the fun, diifipates in a fhort time. 



*' If may happen too, but I fhall not give it as a fad: which I 

 have yet fufficiently obferved, that the water which has penetrated 

 between the hiijks, touches immediately the grain itfelf. Now this 



moifturc 



