Cultivation of Arable Land. Lai/ing down to Grafs What ncceffaryin. 311 



while others delight in a moid or wet foil, and are incapable of being grown with 

 any fuccefs on fuch as are of a dry quality % They likevvife differ much in refpect to 

 their hardinefs,fome refilling the effects of cold much more effectually than others, 

 of courfe are more adapted to highexpofed fituations. Betides thefe, they vary in 

 other refpects, fome fucceeding to the rnoft advantage in foils of the clayey kind, 

 others in thofe of a loamy quality, while others delight in thofe of a fandy nature, 

 a few in thofe of the calcareous kinds,and fome in thofe which partake much of the 

 nature of peat. 



And in addition to thefe different natural propenfities, there are fome graffes 

 that have the property of riling to a great height in the Mem, and of courfe of af 

 fording a large coarfe produce, while others are more limited in this reflect, bu c 

 fpread and extend themfelves more in a lateral direction, affording a k fs proportion 

 of produce, but which is of a finer quality. The former, with certain reftrictions, 

 would feem better adapted to the purpofe of hay,though the latter may be applied 

 to the fame ufe, where the finenefs of quality is preferred to quantity of produce. 

 There are likewife fome forts of graffes that contain much larger proportions of 

 faccharine matter in their competitions than others,as well as more leaves and fewer 

 flower-Hems j and which, from the avidity with which they are fed upon by dif 

 ferent forts of live flock, and the fuccefs that attends their being thus confumed 

 in the improvement of fuch flock, would appear to poflefs the largefl proportion 

 of nourifhment ; and of courfe to be the mod proper for being introduced where 

 the lands are intended for the purpofc of grazing, or fattening animals by means 

 of vegetable food in its graffy (late. 



There is another property of graffes in which they differ confiderably ; and 

 which it is of much confequence to have regard to in the laying lands to the flute 

 of fward. This is that of early growth, which is a circumflance of vaft import 

 ance in a grazing point of view, as there is in general a great deficiency of grafs 

 for the fupport of (lock in the early part of the fpring. 



It is indeed the opinion of a late intelligent writer,* that in the forming of good 

 meadows, or other grafs-Iands, there mould be a combination of thefe different 

 circumflances, as it is chiefly by the firft, or the quantity of produce, that the cul 

 tivator is enabled to fupport his live (lock, and pay his rent ; of courfe no expenfe 

 in labour or manure is fpared to obtain it by the prudent farmer. It does not 

 however follow, he fays, that this mould be folely regarded, or that to attain it the 

 coarfeftfort of plants jGhould be cultivated; nor will the graffes that are recom- 



* Mr. Curtis, 



