374 



suburbs of London. They committed them 

 to the ground after the usual manner; but 

 instead of the sort Baal had made them be- 

 lieve would spring up, they proved to be 

 chiefly the brassica longifolia, instead of the 

 florida. His incensed customers, in a body, 

 instantly commenced, in Westminster Hall, 

 a prosecution against him. The unfortunate 

 man being unable to prove his innocence be- 

 fore the judges, the Court found him guilty 

 of fraud ; and he was condemned, not only 

 to restore the price given for the seeds, but 

 was likewise obliged to pay each gardener for 

 the loss of time, and for the ground that had 

 been uselessly occupied. His character and 

 circumstances were consequently ruined ; 

 which impaired his health, and caused him 

 to pay an untimely debt to nature. Had the 

 judges been at all apprized of the sexual hypo- 

 thesis, or had this honest man known, from 

 careful observation, the use of the farina in 

 rendering the pistillum productive, Baal 

 would not have been found guilty of a crime, 

 but the accident would have been attributed 

 to the true cause, the fortuitous impregna- 

 tion of the brassica florida by the farina of the 

 brassica longifolia growing in the neighbour- 

 hood." 



FINIS. 



