-w 



192 CHYMISTRY APPLIED TO AGRICULTURE. 



moisture to penetrate it. In a similar manner individuals 

 may preserve their grain upon floors in the open air, merely 

 by covering the heaps of it with mats. 



In the Basilicata, according to the report of Intieri,* the 

 farmers form their corn into heaps upon the borders of the 

 sea ; these are soon covered, in consequence of the rains, 

 with a strong vegetation, which forms over them a layer im- 

 permeable by air or water. 



There is a curious account given by Joinville, of the man- 

 ner in which supplies of provisions for the army which St. 

 Louis conducted in person to Jerusalem, were secured. 



" Quant nous venimes en Cypre, le Roy estoit ja en Cypre, 

 et trouvames grant foison de la pourveance le Roy ; c'est a 

 savoir, les celiers le Roy et les deniers et les garniers. Les 

 celiers le Roy estoient tiex, que sa gent avoient fait en mi 

 les champs sur la rive de la mer, gran moyes de tonniaus 

 de vin, que il avoient achete de deux ans devant que 

 le Roy venist, et les avoient mis les uns sus Ifes autres, 

 et que quant Ten les veoit devant, il sembloit que ce feussent 

 granches. Les fourmens et les orges il les r^ avoient mis par 

 monciaus en mi les champs ; et quant en les veoit, il sem- 

 bloit que ce feussent montaignes ; car la pluie qui avoit batu 

 les blez de lone temps, les avoit fait germer par desus, si que 

 il n'i paroit que I'erbe vert. 



^' Or avint ainsi que quant en les vot mener en Egypte, Ten 

 abati les crotes de desus a tout I'erbe vert, et trouva Pen le 

 fourment et Forge aussi frez comme I'en Teust maintenant 

 batu." f 



This method of preservation is undoubtedly less costly 

 than that of digging ditches ; but there is in it some loss of 



* Delia perfetta Conservazione del Grano ; 4to. page 12. 



t " When we came to Cyprus, the king was already there, and we 

 found great abundance of stores collected by him ; the cellars of the 

 king and his treasures and granaries were as follows. The cellars of 

 the king, which his people had made in the midst of the fields upon the 

 borders of the sea, were three in number, stocked with great casks of 

 wine, bought two years before the king's arrival ; the cellars were 

 placed one over the other, so that when viewed in front they looked 

 like barns. The wheat and the barley they had put in heaps in the 

 midst of the fields, and these appeared like mountains, for the rain had 

 moistened the corn for a long time, and caused it to germinate on the 

 outside, so that nothing was seen but the green herb. 



" Now when we had determined to carry the grain into Egypt, and 

 the outer crust was removed from the heaps of grain, the wheat and 

 barley were found as fresh as if but now piled up." 



History of St. Louis. Paris. 1761. folio, pp. 28 and 29. 



