Chap. V. DIFFERENT KINDS OF WHEAT. 289 



than their own, or that they would foon degenerate in it. For ray 

 part, I am thoroughly fatisfied, that improvements of this kind, 

 ought by no means to be looked upon as objefts of fmall im.portince, 

 and that it is right to tiy the culture of different kinds of grain, in 

 hopes of meeting with fome which may deferve the preference to 

 that which it is the cuftom to fov/. Doubtlefs, many might not fuc- 

 ceed. Accordingly, I was not at all furprized at the poor condition 

 to which the wheat I received from Suratte and Bengal, and which 

 I fowed in autumn and in the fpring, was reduced. Thofe climates 

 are fo different from ours, that I could not well expedt any better 

 faccefs. 



The Spanifli wheat, which M. de la Galiffoniere gave me, and 

 which I lowed in autumn, rofe well ; and the winter being very 

 mild, it made a fine appearance till near Whitfuntide: but then, it 

 dwindled away on a fudden, and afforded fcarce any crop at harvefl. 

 The cafe was different with fome of the fame wheat which I fowed 

 in March. Notwithftanding the too frequent tains, which hurt every 

 other kind of wheat, this was equal to the very fineft corn, a,nd yielded 

 an excellent grain, as hard, and tranfparent, as if it had grown in 

 Spain. The whole produce of this crop is fet apart, to be fowed 

 next fpring. This fame corn was tried, with exactly the fame flic- 

 cefs, at Digny, and at Denainvilliers. 



The fpring wheat which I had from M. de Gouvernet, fuffered 

 more from the intemperature of the feafons, than the Spanifh wheat. 

 Its grain was ihrivelled. However, I kept it for next year. 



I fent fome of each of thefe kinds of wheat to M. le Vayer, who 

 fowed them, and after harveff wrote to me as follows. 



" A pound and an half of Spanifh wheat (the marquis de la Ga- 

 ** liffoniere's) fowed in autumn, produced five pounds and an half 

 *' of clean grain. This wheat was as fine as that we are going to 

 *' fpeak of. The fcantinefs of the crop was owing to the birds that 

 *' preyed upon it. 



** The fame quantity of the fame wheat, fowed in the fpring, 

 " produced fixteen pounds of very clean grain. 



" Half an ounce of large grain'd fpring wheat (the marquis de 

 *' Gouvernet's) fox'fed on the nth of Odlober, produced only two 

 " ounces and an half of bad grain. 



" Another half ounce fowed in the fpring, rofe v/ell; but not be- 

 " ing able to bear the almoll continual rains, it produced aothing. 



P p " Two 



