238 Early Vetches. 



as getting the whole surface of the soil covered before winter I 

 consider to be necessary towards early production. Thick plant- 

 ing, of course, assists also in what I have just related ; and I be- 

 lieve the intermixture of rye to answer the double purpose of 

 keeping the white spring-frost from the vetches, being somewhat 

 higher, and afterwards supporting them to a considerable degree ; 

 which allows a circulation of air at the bottom, which otherwise 

 would not be. 



Having now described as nearly as possible the soil which 

 produced, and the cultivation of a crop you were pleased to 

 feel interested in, I hope it will be considered by my brother- 

 farmers who have not yet tried them ; as I know they are well 

 worthy any man's attention. 



Sir, I beg leave to subscribe myself 



Yours, very respectfully, 



Wm. Jones Williams. 

 East Ilsley, June 6, 1842. 



XYIII. — On the Cultivation of Lucerne. By Joshua Rodwell. 



Among the crops not commonly cultivated, our late much re- 

 vered patron of agriculture (Arthur Young) has enumerated 

 lucerne; and he says in his Suffolk Report (p. 140), it is ""not cul- 

 tivated to my knowledge by any farmers, but some gentlemen have 

 it in small pieces : I have had many acres, enough to prove it an 

 object deserving great attention." 1803. The Earl of Albemai'le 

 has tried it on a large scale at Elden, but the experiment is not of 

 sufficient standing yet, to ascertain how far it will succeed, on a 

 rather poor sand. 



In 1806 my attention was first turned to the cultivation of 

 lucerne, by the opportunity of witnessing and closely examining 

 the progress of the experiment above alluded to at Elden, in a 

 field of 12 acres, every particular of which was readily furnished 

 to me by his Lordship, with that kindness and urbanity which has 

 always distinguished him not only as the patron and benefactor of 

 agriculture, but as the practical farmer. 



The following statement, which was furnished to the National 

 Board of Agriculture in 1811, will show the success with which I 

 followed up the cultivation of this valuable plant at Livermere, 

 near Bury St. Edmund's, at that period : — 



1807. In a field containing 1 1 acres, soil dry and sandy, upon 

 a substratum of loamy gravel, the sowing of barley after turnips 

 was completed, and with it 20 lbs. an acre of lucerne, seed sown 



