212 O/Luserne. Chap. XIII. 



Inches deep, which the Plough muft do, and • the 

 Weight of Iron Harrows in fuch fine Ground not 

 much lefs. Had the Plough been all of Wood, the 

 Furrow would have lain never the lighter upon the 

 Seed •, and if the wooden Harrows had been loaded 

 with a Weight capable of prefling it down as deep, 

 it would have been no more able to rife, than if it 

 had been buried with Iron Harrows : This Columella 

 feems to be fenfible of, when he fays, Raftellis lig- 

 neis\ viz. That ic was not fufficient for them to be 

 made of Wood, unlefs they were diminutive •, for 

 then they were light ones. 'Tis probable the Plough 

 fuffer'd none to come up, and the heavy Harrows 

 very few, tho' perhaps Plants enough, had they cal- 

 culated what Number were fufficient: But unlefs the 

 Ground were cover'd with them at firft, it feems 

 they had not Patience to wait till the Plants grew 

 large enough, to fill it with a bare competent Num- 

 ber, and thought it not worth while to weed and water, 

 what they fanfied to be an infufficicient Number. 

 'Twas expected that the Thick nefs of the Plants 

 ihould help to kill the Grafs : Yet upon due Obferva- 

 tion 'tis found, that when their exceffive Numbers 

 have brought a Famine amongit them, they are forc'd 

 to prey upon one another ; and tho 5 the ftronger fur- 

 vive, yet even thole are fo weaken'd by Hunger, 

 that they become the lefs able to contend with Grafs, 

 whofe good Fortune it was, that Superftition would 

 not permit the Romans to interpofe, by attacking it 

 with Iron Weapons. 



I hope thefe Hints may be improv'd for the Abo- 

 lition of old Errors, and for the Difcovery of new 

 Truths; to the end that Luferne may be planted in 

 a more reafonable Method than has been commonly 

 practised : And when the Theory is true, 'tis im- 

 poffible the Practice fhould be falfe, if rightly ap- 

 ply'd ; but if it fail of Succefs, the Event will be a 



Proof 



