It being sufficiently proved, that every sort of Vegetables, growing in the same Soil, takes, and is nourished, by the same Sort of Food; it follows from hence, that the beneficial Change of Sorts of Seeds or Plants, we see in the common Husbandry, is not from the Quality of the Sorts of Food, but from other Causes; such as,

I.Quantity of the Food.
II.Constitution of the Plants.
III.Quantity of the Tillage.

In Dr. Woodward’s Case, upon his Hypothesis, the Three Proportions of Seeds, viz. Barley, Oats, and Pease, might be sown all together in the same Acre of Ground, the same Year, and make Three as good Crops as if sown singly in Three successive Years, and his Two Crops of Wheat in one Year likewise. But every Farmer can tell, that these Three Proportions of Seed would not yield half the Crop together, as one would do single; and would scarce produce more than to shew what Grains were sown, and which, of the Sorts were the strongest and the most able Robber.

Though this Failure would, in Truth, be from no other Cause than want of the sufficient Quantity of Food, which those Three Crops required; yet, perhaps, the Doctor might think, that all Three Crops might succeed together very well, taking each its proper Nourishment, were it not for want of Room, Air, and Sun.

I have been credibly inform’d, that on One Perch of Ground there has grown a Bushel of Corn, which is Twenty Quarters to an Acre. Mr. Houghton relates Twenty-six, and even Thirty Quarters, of Wheat on One Acre. There have certainly grown Twelve Quarters of Barley to an Acre, throughout a whole Field: Therefore, unless a Crop exceed the least of these, or indeed the greatest of them (if the Relation be true), a Crop cannot fail for want of Room; for one Acre (be it of what Nature it will, as to the Soil of it) must have as much room for a Crop to grow on, as any other Acre.

Then there was room for all Dr. Woodward’s Three Crops together, to produce as much as Three common Crops do. Yet all these together will scarce yield one Quarter of Corn, tho’ there is room, at least, for Twelve.

The same Air and Sun that had Room to do their Office to Mr. Houghton’s Acre, why should they not have Room to do the same to Doctor Woodward’s Acre, when the Three Crops growing on it at once, through pretty good ones, might require less Room than Mr. Houghton’s Crop did?

I perceive that those Authors, who explain Vegetation, by saying the Earth imbibes certain Qualities from the Air, and by specific Qualities, and the like, do also lay a great Stress upon the perpendicular Growth of Vegetables; seeming to fansy there is little else necessary to a good Crop, but Room.

Mr. Bradley, in his Arguments concerning the Value of an Hill, does implicitly say as much.

But if they would but consider the Diameters of the Stems, with the Measure of the Surface of an Acre, they would be convinced, that many, even of Mr. Houghton’s Crops, might stand in a perpendicular Posture upon an Acre, and Room be left.