C 17 ] 



On French Rye, and Syrian, or Jerusalem iVheat^ by 

 Richard Peters, Esq. 



Read July 9, 1811. 



Belmont, July 8, 1811. 



Dear Sir, 



I send by way of report, of the success of the grain, 

 transmitted by general Armstrong, from France, a few 

 heads of die big rye, and the die d'^abondance, or Sy- 

 rian wheat. Both have arrived at perfection, beyond 

 my expectations. I was obliged to cut my rye a litde 

 too early, so as to escape the ravages of the birds and 

 poultry. But a sheaf feels heavy, as if every grain 

 were a pigeon shot. Some of the heads are lighter 

 than others ; possibly, because they should have been 

 left a few days longer. It was cut the 1st of July. Out 

 of two quarts, I gave away, in small portions, all but half 

 a pint. I regret that some have had it, who have paid 

 to it no attention. Finding that the balance left to me 

 was so small, I was compelled to take pains to remedy 

 my over-liberality. I stretched my garden lines and 

 took a rake head (wooden) and dotted along the line 

 with the rake teeth. In every hole I dropped a seed. 

 The drills 18 inches asunder. I discovered that each 

 seed produced three plants, two whereof I transplanted, 

 as they grew vigorous, at unequal times. By this 

 means, I have 18 tolerably sized sheaves, which I think 

 will produce a bushel, — probably more. The trans- 

 planted is universally the largest and best. The small- 

 est heads of the original growth, arc larger than the 



VOL. III. (" 



