Робинзон Крузо
Agricultural Experience
ButbythisexperimentIwasmademasterofmybusiness,andknewexactlywhentheproperseasonwastosow,andthatImightexpecttwoseed-timesandtwoharvestseveryyear.
Whilethiscornwasgrowing,Imadealittlediscovery,whichwasofusetomeafterwards. Assoonastherainswereover,andtheweatherbegantosettle,whichwasaboutthemonthofNovember,Imadeavisitupthecountrytomybower,where,thoughIhadnotbeensomemonths,yetIfoundallthingsjustasIleftthem. ThecircleordoublehedgethatIhadmadewasnotonlyfirmandentire,butthestakeswhichIhadcutoutofsometreesthatgrewhereaboutswereallshotout,andgrownwithlongbranches,asmuchasawillow-treeusuallyshootsthefirstyearafterlopingitshead. Icouldnottellwhattreetocallitthatthesestakeswerecutfrom.Iwassurprised,andyetverywellpleasedtoseetheyoungtreesgrow,andIprunedthem,andledthemuptogrowasmuchalikeasIcould. Anditisscarcecrediblehowbeautifulafiguretheygrewintointhreeyears; sothatthoughthehedgemadeacircleofabouttwenty-fiveyardsindiameter,yetthetrees,forsuchImightnowcallthem,sooncoveredit,anditwasacompleteshade,sufficienttolodgeunderallthedryseason.
Thismademeresolvetocutsomemorestakes,andmakemeahedgelikethis,inasemicircleroundmywall(Imeanthatofmyfirstdwelling,whichIdid; andplacingthetreesorstakesinadoublerow,atabouteightyardsdistancefrommyfirstfence, theygrewpresently,andwereatfirstafinecovertomyhabitation,andafterwardservedfordefencealso,asIshallobserveinitsorder. Ifoundnowthattheseasonsoftheyearmightgenerallybedivided,notintosummerandwinter,asinEurope,butintotherainyseasonsandthedryseasons;whichweregenerallythus:
