8 



determined by the interval between the seed and the 

 sickle, which nature has assigned to each species, corre- 

 sponding with the period of gestation in animals, and unal- 

 terably fixed at the time of their original formation. Upon 

 this principle it is obvious, that the vegetables of slowest 

 growth should be sown first, while those of quicker progress 

 should be delayed longer. 



The question has now reached the experimentahst, who 

 will probably sow many varieties in distinct plots on the 

 same, day, and by accurately observing their times of 

 ripening, will make himself acquainted with their respective 

 periods. 



What I recommend here as experiment, is the actual 

 practice in Egypt, where they sow all their grains, of 

 whatsoever species, on the same day, that is, the first 

 moment the retreat of the Nile gives them access to 

 their land, just relieved from its annual inundation. 



We have scriptural authority for the result, marking the 

 progress each separate grain has made in, the same time. 



Moses tells us, that at the time of a particular event, 

 " the barley was in the ear, and the Jlax was boiled, but 

 the wheat and the rye were not grown up." 



The experimentalist will now diversity his trials, and by 

 sowing the same grain at different times, in many small 

 plots, he will soon be able to determine how far, for the 

 security of the young tendril, he can delay sowing, without 

 throwing the mature plant into a season unfit for ripening 

 its seed. 



It has been made a question, whether in selecting our 

 corn for seed, we should choose our weightiest pickle, or 

 whether the smaller and lighter might not answer just as 

 well ; in other words, from which side of our winnowing 

 heap are we to take our seed — the windward, or the lee- 



