Chap. 11. BY M. DE CHATEAU-VIEUX. 225 



able to tlie firft Iprouting of the feed. Chance iiift made it known 

 to me. 



" I have often fowed, purely to try what wheat was fitted for 

 fowing. I commonly fowed wheat taken from the heap in the gra- 

 nary. I likewife frequently fowed wheat picked out of the ears the 

 moment before I fowed it. I counted the grains of both forts ex- 

 adlly. Would any one think there could be any difference in the 

 productions of thefe grains ? yet I found a confiderable one : what was 

 picked out of the ears, always rofe extremely well -, fcarce a grain 

 of it ever miffed ; whereas numbers of thofe which were taken from 

 the heap, never fprouted at all. I did not perceive this difference 

 at firft; but at lafl it ffruck me. I relate the fadl as it is, without 

 pretending to account for the caufe of this difference, which would 

 lead me into too long a digreifion. The experiment itfelf may be 

 of real ufe. It fhews us, that inftead of threfliing the wheat in- 

 tended for feed at any time, without diffinftion, it ought not to bs 

 threflied till a very few days, at moil two or three, before it is low- 

 ed. A few hands will be able to fupply the fowers with as much 

 as they will want. This will not be attended with any fort of ex- 

 pence, and may be the means of faving fomewhat in the feed. 



" Perhaps too, this pradlice may be attended with a very valuable 

 advantage. I have not indeed yet made the trials neceflary to fa- 

 tisfy me of the reality of what I imagine : but my defire to be of 

 fervice to the public, induces me to mention it, that the lovers of 

 agriculture may refledl upon it, and try fuch experiments as will 

 clear up my conjedtures. 



" Threlhing the feed only jull before it is fowed, may pofTibly, 

 in fome meafure, or perhaps entirely prevent the firfl caufe of the 

 diftemper which we call charbon *. By this I mean, that the feed 

 which has not been mixed with fmutty wheat, or any way infedled by 

 its black powder, will be exempt from that diftemper. Not that I 

 take that black powder to be abfblutely the original caufe of this di- 

 ftemper : but I believe it very capable of communicating it to grains 

 that are found. 



" I wifh the multiplicity of my occupations may permit me to 

 endeavour to clear up this matter, and purfue the obfervations I 

 have begun to make. If I can be fo happy as to make any ufeful 

 difcoveries, I fliall communicate them to the public. 



G g «« That 



* A kind of jmutt for which fee p. 93. 



