143 



13. Some have objected to our Lord'5 speaking of 

 corn increasing a hundred fold, that this is impossible. 

 So far from it, that a grain of barley has been known 

 to produce two hundred and forty-nine stalks, contain- 

 ing above eighteen thousand grains. 



A still more curious experiment was made with tur- 

 nip seed, at Sutton-Coldfield, in Warwickshire. In 

 less than three days after it was sown, the turnips were 

 above ground. In three weeks the roots were as big 

 as walnuts ; in less than five weeks as large as apples. 

 August 12th, one of them weighed two pounds fourteen 

 ounces. At the same time was weighed an ounce of the 

 seed which had been sown, and it was found to contain 

 fourteen thousand six hundred single grains : this being 

 multiplied by forty-six (the ounces that the turnip 

 weighed) produces six hundred and seventy-one thou- 

 sand six IVMI ired, viz. the number of single grains re- 

 quired to equal the weight of the turnip. Hence it 

 follows, that (supposing the increase was uniform) the 

 grain when it was so urn, weighing but ^th of an 

 ounce, increased in the following proportions : 

 In six weeks - 671. 600 



A week - - 11 1,933 



A day - - 15,9 



An hour - 6Q< 



A minute 11 



In June 1766, Mr. Miller sowed some grains of 

 common red wheat. On August 8, a plant was taken 

 up and divided into eighteen parts. Each of these was 

 placed separately : these plants having shot out several 

 side shoots by the middle of September, they were 

 taken up and divided again. This second division pro- 

 duced sixty. seven plants ; these remained through the 

 winter. Another division of them made in the spring, 

 produced 500 plants : they were then divided no 

 farther. 



The whole number of ears, which by the process 

 were produced from one grain, was 21,109. And 

 from a calculation made, by counting the whole num. 

 ber of graius in one ounce, might be about 576,840- 



