464 



PRODUCTION 



Sect. XVI. 8. 3. 



3« Add to this, that there are fome feeds, as thofe of carrots, that 

 are fo difficult to be dilTeminated in uniform quantities, that it has 

 been cuflon:iary to mix them previoufly with fand or garden mould 

 for the purpofe of giving them weight, or bulk, or to detach them 



from each other. And fome even fuffer them to begin to put forth 



th 



fuch a mixture of moift fand or garden mould for 



purpofe of more regularly difperfing them. 



In dry feafons the foaking feeds in water, a day or two before 

 committino; them ,to the ground, will forward their srrowth, as well 



by artificially watering the ground before or after fowing th 



em 



and the foaking them 



ther advantage of 



folution of fait and water 



givino^ 



an opportunity of 



may 



nedt 



cr 



the light 



feeds, which float, and perhaps of deftroying fome infers which may 

 adhere to them ; the fprinkling fome kinds of feed with lime may 

 alfo be of advantage for the purpofe of deftroying infe£ls, if fuch ad- 

 here to them, and of attra6ting moifture from the air, or lower parts 

 of the earth, or for its other ufeful properties ; but where the feed, 

 foil, and feafon, are adapted to each other, none of thefe condiments 

 are required. 



It may neverthelefs on other accounts be very advantageous to fteep 



many kinds of 



the black liquor, which oozes from manure 



heaps 



Mr. Chappel, in the papers of the Bath Society, found 



t) 



benefit by fteeping barley in the fluid above mentioned for twenty 



four hours, and fl«:imming off the light g 



On taking it out of 



the water he mixed wood-afhes fifted with the grain to make it fpread 



& 



rly, and obtained a much finer crop, than from the fame 



fovi'n without preparation. To this we may add, that to fteep the 

 feed in a folution of dung in water, as in the draining from a dung- 

 hill, is believed in China both to forward the growth of the plant, 

 and to defend it from variety of infeds, according to the information, 

 given to fir G. Staunton. 



There is an old proverb, " fbw dry and fet wet ;'* but where the 



t ' 



4 



earth 



I 



