SECT. V. 



OF PROPAGATION 



is, that feeding plants (in private gardens) are neglecled 

 in fome meafare r or deftroyed by birds, and come to 

 little at laft. Perhaps they are not faved from proper 

 plants. It is a particular bufmefs to raife feeds for fale^ 

 and (generally ) they are belt had from thofe whofe pro- 

 vince it is to deal in them : befides, confider farther, 



Againft our awn feed, there is this to be obferved, 

 that it is a received ??;axi?n to procure feeds of efculents 

 from a different foil and fituation, or at leaft to change 

 them, as being apt to alter or degenerate, if repeatedly 

 fown in the fame place. It is proper, however, for 

 private perfons to fave feed fometimcs, in order to fccure 

 that of any particular fort, that it is judged may not 

 be got fo true and good. Yet here perhaps the bufy 

 bee or wind may interfere, and difappoint expecta- 

 tion ; for if there is any thing of the like kind in a 

 neighbouring garden, thefe inftruments may carry the 

 Farina ot that to our charge, and contaminate it, fo 

 as to produce a fpurious offspring, which is very fre- 

 quently experienced in the cabbage tribe. Now this 

 cannot in a great degree happen with thofe who raife 

 feed in extenfive pieces ot ground occupied with the 

 fame fort ot vegetable. 



Seed of vegetables mould be faved from fine forward 

 plants, fecured from rocking about, when they get 

 tall ; guard them againft birds, gather them regularly 

 as they ripen, kit they Ihed and are loft, and keep 

 them dry. Floiuers, it may be proper to fave the feed 

 of, and it is little trouble. The forts may thus be 

 better depended on, and the fmall quantity wanted ot* 

 each kind makes it hardly worth while to buy r if we 

 can raife them ourfelves, or get them of a friend ; no 

 flngie flowers mould be fuffered to grow in a garden 

 where there are double ones to bear feed, as lark/purs, 

 and haly hocks, for the Farina of the Angles tranfport- 

 ed by bee ox wind will fpoil the feed ot the doubles- 

 Such fmgle flowers fhould be taken up as foon as ever 

 difcoYeredto be fo, It fhould be a rule iox flower feeds 



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