Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/408

376&#93; ;7«] BU C management, a dressing of manure is gained at the cheapest possible rate. In short, to introduce a sys- tem more complete, is not in the power of science. It appears to be undecided, whe- ther buck-wheat improves or im- poverishes the soil. There can be no doubt that it will produce the latter erfecf, iike all plants that are suffered to run to seed ; and, on the contrary, that it renders the soil more fertile, when ploughed in, before the seeds are formed. Such, at least, is tire opinion of Mr.BoRD- ley, a respectable American far- mer, and ]ir. Farree, a consider- able corn-faclor in London. But Mr. Young, whose knowledge and reputation are equally great, observes, on the strength of his own experience, that this plant ameliorates the soil insomuch, that the farmer may have any crop after it, especially icheat ; for which rea- son it is (1/S4) commonly cultivat- ed about Norwich. One of the principal uses of buck- wheat in this country, is that of feeding" horses. MiFarrer ad- vises it to be mixed with bran, chaff, or grains, either whole or broken in a mill. When consumed in the state of grass, it flushes cows with nrilk ; hence it is presumed, that the meal mixed with grains would have the same good erf. ct, and en- rich the milk. One bushel of it is equal to two bushels of oats, even mixed with beans, and four times the quantity of bran ; it will be full food for a horse a-week, and re- quire much less hay. According to his experience, eight bushels of -wheat meal will go as far as twelve bushels of barley meal. Bui. the American farmers assert, that it is an improper food for horses on a journey, or employed BUC in active labour ; though its meal, when mixed with other corn, or cut straw, answers well even for horses in a slow draught. It is unquestionably a cheap corn, sub- servient to many good purposes, and peculiarly excellent for fatten- ing hogs and poultry : the former are said to become intoxicated by eating the whole plant; but no such erfecf takes place from tire seeds alone. Dr. Withering ob- serves, that sheep feeding upon this vegetable, become unhealthy; but it is relished by cows and goats. For culinary purposes, also, the grain of die buck- wheat is used in various forms, and affords a nutri- tious meal, which is not apt to turn sour on the stomach. Mixed with barley, it is, in Tuscany, baked into bread, which possesses the proper- ty of retaining its moisture much longer than that of pure wheat ; and though of a darker colour, it is equally nourishing. In Germany, a very palatable grit, or a granulat- ed meal, serving as an ingredient in pottage, puddings, &c. is prepared of buck- wheat ; and if die seed be pure, the produce of each bushel is ten pecks. In the electorate of Brandenburg 1 -, not only ale and beer is brewed from a mixture of it with malt, but likewise a very excellent spirit of a blueish shade is obtained by distillation 5 the fla- vour of which resembles that of French brandy. The taste and co- lour of stale beer, may be much improved by adding a small quan- tity of the flour of this grain. From this, as v% ell as die preced- ing species of buck- wheat, theTar- tars prepare a delicious food, by simply blanching the seeds, widi- out mills or ovens, in a manner very ingenious, and applicable to most other species of grain. They first