588 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



posing, as it is indispensable to the health and rapid germination 

 of all seeds. When nature desires that seeds should not germi- 

 nate, it is only necessary that she places them beyond the reach 

 of oxygen, and they will remain buried for centuries without the 

 least sign of life. 



I do not wish to be understood in any remark that I may have 

 made, that the influence of warm, dry, wet or cold seasons may 

 be entirely overcome by good husbandry, but that the intelligent 

 agriculturist will have a fewer number of failures to lament than 

 the one who makes no experimental research after science. A 

 change of seed has been generally recommended, but as every 

 seed that grows has a peculiar climate and soil adapted to it, in 

 which it flourishes finely, without showing any sign of degene- 

 racy, and as long as this state of things last I would on no con- 

 sideration change my seed. I sometimes, by an arrangement of 

 the soil, change the constitution of my plants, and find they 

 transmit it to those coming after them; for example, if you desire 

 a certain seed to produce a plant that will come to early maturity 

 through many generations in any kind of land, propagate it in a 

 warm, rich sandy soil, and it will not disappoint your expecta- 

 tions; or if you wish the same seed to produce a plant that will 

 mature late, sow it in a cold stiff" clay. 



All agricultural writers say, sow a small portion of seed on 

 rich ground, and a large quantity on a thin soil. I have always 

 pursued a contrary course, and sow the large quantity on rich 

 ground, which causes every seed to grow and throw up a separate 

 stalk, bearing grain; whereas, if sown sparsely, half the seed is 

 prevented from growing by the advance of the strongest seed, 

 which litters and covers the ground with weak shoots, producing 

 a medium yield. And a thin soil is not capable of sustaining a 

 large quantity, but can usually nourish a small quantity and 

 perfect it. In general I would recommend a liberal allowance 

 of seed; for instance, wheat three bushels to the acre on rich soil, 

 two bushels on thin; rye, oats and barley the same; clover one 

 bushel to the acre;'timothy half a bushel; potatoes fifteen bushels 

 cut, thirty bushels whole. If you attempt to grow any species 

 of plant that requires either potash, soda or lime, except on soils 



