C 69 3 



peculiarities, it fhould feem, would make it par- 

 ticularly valuable to the farmer as a green food for 

 his (heep in the winter and fpring, when food of 

 that denomination is fo exceedingly fcarce. Indeed 

 I had often wondered within myfelf, what could be 

 the reafon that this plant had never found its way 

 into general cultivation for this purpofe ; but fince 

 I have been acquainted with fome peculiar circum- 

 ftances attending it, my wonder has ceafed. 



From thefe I colled, that the chief reafon which 

 has hitherto prevented its cultivation, has been the 

 very great difficulty of procuring good feeds in any 

 quantity. The pods, I find, do not ripen alto- 

 gether; but as foon almoft'as they are ripe, they 

 I burft with great elafticity, and fcatter the feeds 

 around; and after you have procured the feeds, 

 fcarce one-third part of them will vegetate, owing 

 to an internal defe(5l, occafioned by certain infedls 

 making them the nefts and food for their young. ' 

 Perhaps a detail of the circumftances which led to 

 this difcovery, may not be uninterefting. 



In the autumn of the year 1782, I collected a 

 quantity of thcfe feeds from the hedges, &:c. — 

 m March 15th, 1783, 1 fowed them in drills in a plat 

 ■ of ground in my kitchen garden, which meafured 

 H cxa6lly five yards fquare; they were fown in eight 

 H . V ^ drills 



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