92 



to bring forward when the agriculturist has cleared the \yay 

 for her, by leaving his surface unoccupied. 



It is probable that, among these spontaneous obtrusions of 

 Nature obviously indigenous to our soil, we shall be able to 

 select those which it will be the interest of the farmer to cul- 

 tivate, and which are most likely to repay his labours. 



In pursuit of this object, I have for some j'ears been in the 

 habit of carefully examining, through the spring, my fields 

 that I had ploughed the preceding year, watching the spon- 

 taneous grasses as they appeared, selecting the most promising, 

 those 



Qu(e IcEta et fortia surgunt, 

 and carefully transplanting them into plots prepared for the 

 .purpose. 



I had thus, an opportunity, when by their panicles they 

 shewed their, species, of ascertaining the respective qualities 

 and comparjitive merits of the grasses that seemed indigenous 

 to our soil. 



I then formed distinct plots for each species, and, by letting 

 their crops ripen, was enabled to judge of their value for the 

 purpose of hay, and, -when regularly mowed, the luxpriance 

 of the aftergrass of each. 



Not secure that the powers of regeneration would be ex- 

 actly the same when kept down b}"^ repeated brousing in an 

 early stage, and when mowed but once in a state of ripeness, 



pressed other plots of the same varieties with the scythe, as 

 often as it v/ould catch their sole; and, from tlie number of 



times 



