Робінзон Крузо
Agricultural Experience
Therainyseasonandthedryseasonbegannowtoappearregulartome,andIlearnedtodividethemsoastoprovideforthemaccordingly; butIboughtallmyexperiencebeforeIhadit,andthisIamgoingtorelatewasoneofthemostdiscouragingexperimentsthatImadeatall. IhavementionedthatIhadsavedthefewearsofbarleyandrice,whichIhadsosurprisinglyfoundspringup,asIthought,ofthemselves,andbelievetherewereaboutthirtystalksofrice,andabouttwentyofbarley; andnowIthoughtitapropertimetosowitaftertherains,thesunbeinginitssouthernposition,goingfromme.
AccordinglyIdugupapieceofgroundaswellasIcouldwithmywoodenspade,anddividingitintotwoparts,Isowedmygrain; butasIwassowingit,itcasuallyoccurredtomythoughtsthatIwouldnotsowitallatfirst,becauseIdidnotknowwhenwasthepropertimeforit, soIsowedabouttwo-thirdsoftheseed,leavingaboutahandfulofeach.
ItwasagreatcomforttomeafterwardsthatIdidso,fornotonegrainofthatIsowedthistimecametoanything, forthedrymonthsfollowing,theearthhavinghadnorainaftertheseedwassown,ithadnomoisturetoassistitsgrowth, andnevercameupatalltillthewetseasonhadcomeagain,andthenitgrewasifithadbeenbutnewlysown.
Findingmyfirstseeddidnotgrow,whichIeasilyimaginedwasbythedrought,Isoughtforamoisterpieceofgroundtomakeanothertrialin, andIdugupapieceofgroundnearmynewbower,andsowedtherestofmyseedinFebruary,alittlebeforethevernalequinox. AndthishavingtherainymonthsofMarchandApriltowaterit,sprungupverypleasantly,andyieldedaverygoodcrop; buthavingpartoftheseedleftonly,andnotdaringtosowallthatIhad,Ihadbutasmallquantityatlast,mywholecropnotamountingtoabovehalfapeckofeachkind.
