240: 
of different experiments. 
In fhort, the exiftence of this Society 
feemed to double the zeal cf Cretté, and 
increale the circle of his knowledge; for 
although he refided at Dugny, yet he at- 
tended all the meetings, and had frequent 
opportunities of experiencing the confi- 
dence and regard of bis colleagues. Pre- 
vioully to this period, hehad fuppofed that 
he was capable of cultivating the earth in 
the mo{t advantageous manner; but, pof- 
terior to his admiflion, he was aftoniihed 
to perceive how many u(leful and effential 
things he had {till either to learn, or to 
render more perfect. | 
_ About this time, he alfo began in fome 
degree to purfue a new agricultural ca- 
reer: fuch is the intimate conneétion be- 
tween theory and ‘practice, and fo nume- 
rous are the benefits which always refult 
trom thofe interefting affociations, which 
folly decries and ignorance calumniates, 
but which cannot be too much encouraged 
and fupported by all good governments. 
Cretté de Palluel’s farms now became 
the theatre of the experiments of the Soci- 
ety. Of thofe that took place, there were 
fome of which he was diipofed to think 
unfavourably; but, out of refpect for the 
decifions of the Society, and becaufe he 
was perluaded that the cauic of agricul- 
ture was as effectualiy promoted by the 
demonftration, that certa‘n modes of cul- 
tivation are ufelefs and inapplicable, as by 
publiihing the fuccefs of others, he be- 
ftowed the {ame aitention on all. 
Cretté, who had hitherto exercifed his 
talents on his own lands alone, and who 
had never committed any obfervations to 
paper, except ielative to fuch fatts as par- 
ticularly interefted himfelf, at length tri- 
umphed over bis own innate modeity and 
timidity, by dilcuffing a great and im- 
portant prize-queft-on propofed by the So- 
ciety of Agricuiture at Laon, fos the beft 
Mode of Draining a Number of Marthes, 
the fituation of which was pointed out. 
On ths cceafion he was lucky enough to 
obtain all the juifvages of the affociates, 
and merit the gratitude of the cit'zens 
who were incommoded. His work -was 
foon after printed, and it will prove highly 
ufeful to all thofe who wifh to undertake 
fimilar operations. 
The Records of the Society at Paris 
contain a great number of memoirs and 
obfervations which atteft his zeal, his fer- 
vic.s, and his knowledce; they are fo 
umercus, indeed, that even an analyfis 
of them would appear too long. 
He had, at length, by means of much 
Biographical Notice refpeéting Palluel, 
tive to which he himfelf. made a variety. 
[October 14, 
pains and great conftancy, attained fueh 
a degree of perfection in refpeét to his 
fyftem of farming, as almoft entirely to 
ayoid the cuftom of employing fallows, 
although he had upwards of 300 hectares 
under cultivation. Being intimately ac- 
quainted with the nature and pofition of 
his fields, he tock eare to fuit his crops 
to the foil, and he graduated the epochs 
of feed-time in fuch a manner, that at 
fpring, when all his lands were. in culti- 
vation, he could, both morning and even- 
ing, pafture his fheep on thofe fields that 
were intended to be firtt fown ; the plough 
followed the flock, and prepared the earth, 
for the autumnal crops. In fhort, his ar- 
rangements were fo conceived, and exe- 
cuted with fuch propriety, that his cattle, 
daily, until] harveft, coniumed no more 
than what the ploughs of the fucceeding 
day were able to manage. A mode, at 
once fo fimple and fo praéticable, is ca- 
pable of giving the moft advantageous 
impulfe to agriculture*. 
Before Cretté beeame a member of the 
Society of Agriculture at Paris, he had 
only cultivated clover and lucern in his 
meadows ; but his fields, foan after that 
period, were feen to produce all the grafles 
either in ule among foreigners, or in any 
of the provinces of France ; and on this 
occafion alfo, he prefented a new tribute 
to his country and the Fiench agricul- 
turilts. Independently of his extending 
the cultivation-of artificial meadows, and 
that of turnips and oil-bearing plants ; he 
turned his attention, in a particular man- 
ner, towards the wild fuceory. He had 
remarked that this plant profpered in eve- 
ry part of his farm, and that animals of 
all kinds were particularly attached to it; 
heaccordingly colleéted the feed, and fowed 
a great quantity of it. He was not de- 
ceived in his conjectures ; but, ‘before he 
communicated the effects, he undertook a 
variety of experiments, and he approved 
moft of that, in which it was cultivated 
along with clover, burnet, and rye-grafs. 
Commiffioners were nominated, at dif- 
ferent times, on purpole to dilcover its ef- 
fects on cattle fed with it while green, and 
* “ Ce moyen fi fimple, fi bien entendu, mis en 
pratique, pourrait donner a Pagriculture la plus 
grande et la plus beureufe impulfion; il exigerait 
peut-cire que ques développemens fur le chorx des 
plantes tracantes et pivotantes, Jur les refources 
gui'il offre pour nourrir un plus grande nombre de 
beftiaux que par I'babitude des jacheres, et pour 
fertilifer méme la terre, que la routine et les pre- 
jugés veutent abjolument candamner au befoin de 
repos.” ‘ 
4 alfo 
