200 



On Seed-Steeping, 



ashes, and salt came up within six days, and those that afterwards 

 proved the highest, thickest, and most lusty, were first the urine, 

 then the dungs, next the chalk, next the soot, next the ashes, next 

 the salt, next the wheat simple, next that watered twice a day with 

 warm water, next the claret wine. So that those three last were 

 slower than ordinary wheat itself, and this culture did rather retard 

 than advance. As for those that were steeped in malmsey and 

 spirit of wine, they came not up at all. This is a rich experiment for 

 profit ; for the most of the steepings are cheap things and the 

 goodness of the crop is a great matter of gain ; if the goodness of 

 the crop answer the earliness of the coming up, as it is like it will ; 

 both being from the vigour of the seed, which also partly appeared 

 in the former experiment, as hath been said." 



The experiments of Bacon and the good opinion which he seems 

 to have had of the value of seed-steeping caused many to take up 

 the subject; various solutions were recommended; and as various 

 was the success which attended their use. The following cautious 

 observations of Blith (1649), are interesting in connexion with the 

 preceding account of Bacon's experiments. 



" Sir Francis Bacon is of opinion that salt mingled with corn 

 hath a very good operation, being sowed with the corn, which pos- 

 sibly may, because brackishness is fruitful to the land, also that 

 chalk and lime sowed with the corn is very helpful and that steep- 

 ing of your corn in fat water, lime-water, or dunghill-water, hath 

 a wonderful effect to work strange things, of all which myself 

 having not made full experience, can find no more advantage 

 therein than just so much as is added to the corn either of the 

 chalk or lime in substance, or so much as is added of the soil or 

 fatness of either of the waters and no more. For having made a 

 thorough trial thereof found no otherwise, nor nothing of that 

 great advantage promised ; but let me not prejudice any ingenious 

 trials of the same, others may find more, possibly I might miss in 

 the manner of my application." 



