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and then cat them, even in the months of April and 

 May; and fheep which have been iifed to this food 

 certainly pick off the blofToms and young pods at 

 that feafon, and probably the prickles alfo ; fo that 

 it is pofTible this opinion may only be a vulgar error. 



Circumftances, which I need not here fpecify, 

 have prevented me from afcertaining what is the 

 weight of the crop that may be thus attained; but 

 I think I may fafdy venture to fay, that it is at lead 

 equal to that of a crop of green clover; and if it 

 be confidered that this affords a green fucculent 

 food during winter, on which cattle can be fatted 

 as well as on cut grafs in fummer, it will 1 think be 

 admitted, that it mufb be accounted even a more 

 valuable crop than clover. After being cut it fprings 

 lip the following feafon with greater vigour than 

 before ; and, in this fituation, acquires a degree of 

 health and fucculence very different from what it is 

 ever obferved to poflefs in its natural flate.* The 

 prickles too are fo foft, and the Hems fo tender, 

 that very little bruifing is neccflary ; indeed horfes, 

 who have been accu domed to this food, would eat 

 it without any bruifing at all: but cattle, whofe 

 mouths feem to be more tender, always require it 

 to be well bruifed. 



• J have fccn ihooU of one feafon near (bur feet in length. 



How 



