Chap. VIII. -^ O S A I N - F O I N, 333. 



die fuftenance of men, we may likewife contribute to the prefervation 



of lives fo ufeful to the community ! 



M. de Chateau-vieux obferves, that flax does not fucceed fo well 

 in other years, as when there are frequent fhowers j and that the 

 year 1754, being very dry, proved extremely unfavourable to it» 

 The flax was very fhort ; but that defedl was in lome meafure com- 

 penfated by the abundance of the feed, find the finenefs of the bark 

 of the plant, which was alfo ftrongcr than ufual. 



Hemp fucceeded better : it grew this year five or fix feet high :' 

 its ftalks were large, and the bark very thick and ftrong. The 

 ground fown with it now, was that on which it was ufually fown, 

 and never had produced fo great a quantity. 



In an experiment made in Lower Normandy in 1754, the hemp- 

 was fliort, but extremely fruitful in feed, efpecially the two outer 

 rows, which had profited mofl: by the hoeings. The middle row 

 was fliorter than the otlier two, and yielded lefs feed. The frequent 

 rains in the fpring, prevented the ground's being fo well prepared as 

 it fliould have been, becaufe it was too wet : but, upon the whole» 

 it feemed pretty evident, that hemp cannot be raifed to its pre per 

 height without the afiiftance of feme dung. 



M. Aimen, from 40 plants of female hemp (commonly called 

 male) raifed in the common way, and which might be deemed fine 

 ones, had but half a pound of feed, and the firalks were not more 

 than a quarter of an inch in diameter near the root. 



A fingle plant of the fame kind, which grew by itfelf, the earth- 

 being kept in a loofe ftate round it, yielded feven pound and an half 

 of feed. It had many branches, and the fialk was three inches in 

 diameter near tlie root. 'Tis true the hemp was coarfe and woody, 

 and the fibres were interrupted where the branches grew. Thofe 

 who raife this plant only for the oil of its feed, frequently fow it at 

 proper diftances between their kidney beans and other leguminous 

 plants, and it never fails to yield better feed than that which is-, 

 raifed in the common way. 



CHAP. VIII. S E C T. L 



Of the culture of Sahi-fom^ '\ 



THE French call this plant Jainfoiny fain in their langnage 

 fignifying wholefome, and foin hay, becaufe they obferve 

 that it agrees exceedingly well with all kinds of cattle. We impro- 



.0 v'u . . perly 



