104 AGRICULTURE. 



and some shovelfuls of earth : " and here," says 

 he, " they were at all times ready ; for to this land I 

 could have gone at any time, and have brought 

 away (if the quantity had been large) a wagon-load 

 in ten minutes." 



XII. Of Buckwheat. 



This excellent grain is a native of Asia, whence 

 it was carried to Africa, and thence by the Moors 

 to Europe. In France it yet retains the name of 

 sarrasin. 



The species of it in cultivation are two, the com- 

 mon and the Tartarean (Polygonum Tartaricum of 

 Linnaeus.)* This last species is highly extolled by 

 Professor Pallas and others. It ripens earlier, and 

 produces more than the common species ; but, on 

 the other hand, it shells more easily, and has in it 

 an unpleasant degree of bitterness. 



Cattle, hogs, and poultry are particularly fond of 

 this grain, and no food fattens them more promptly. 



Being entirely destitute of gluten (the animo ve- 

 getable part of wheat), it is not convertible into 

 bread, but, made into batter and baked into cakes, 

 it forms a very tolerable substitute. Another great 

 advantage of buckwheat is, that, with a small de- 

 gree of labour, it thrives well in the poorest sand or 

 gravel ; and in clays which are only slightly moist, 

 it gives a good crop, and never fails to leave them 

 loose, friable, and clean. To the clay-land farmer 

 this property is invaluable ; and, to make the most of 

 it, he should remember that this labour-saving grain 

 ought to have more of attention and liberality 

 than is generally given to it ; for if, under the hard 

 treatment and in the by-places where it is now 

 cultivated, it yields so much and works these im- 

 portant effects on the soil, how greatly would its 

 usefulness be increased, were it made to follow 

 pease, beans, cabbages, or potatoes, in regular rota 

 tion and on a large scale. 



* Called also Indian wheat. J. B. 



