Cultivation of Arabic Land.-- Meadow fof I Grafi~*Kough Cock s foot Grafs. 327 



could thrive, coat, or do their work better than they did, whilfl they had this ray 

 grafs hay to take to. Never was there a greater contrail than when they were put 

 to the natural hay-grafs of the country after they had finifhcd the other. They 

 were literally flarved into the eating it ; and in fpiteof an additional quantity of 

 corn they fell away (agreeably to his farming man s mode of exprefficn) a limba- 

 piece. This year nothing can look better than his horfrs do upon this hay, (with 

 which fome red clover is mixed), and this, with the addition of very little corn, 

 and that moftly light, the tailings of oats and barley.&quot; 



Meadow Soft Grafs, or York/hire White.* It is common in meadows and paftures, 

 and is hardy and productive of foliage, but flowers much later than the firfl of the 

 above grafies : its foliage is foft and woolly.-)- It thrives beft on foils of the more 

 moifl kinds ; but may be grown on almoft any that are not very dry and in poor 

 condition; and even on thefe it is fomctimes met with. By fome cultivators it is 

 chiefly advifrd to be made ufe of with a view to fheep paflure, as it has not been 

 found equally good for other forts of flock. And it has been found to anfwer beft 

 when kept very clofely fed4 It has been fuppofed ufeful for neat cattle, but very 

 indifferent for horfes. 



It grows in a quick manner, and affords good fheep-feed in the winter feafon ; 

 and would feem, from the following fact, to be much relifhed by live flock : on 

 two fields being laid down adjoining each other, one with this grafs, and the other 

 with rye-grafs (Loliu m perenne), the former was eaten much clofer than the latter, by 

 the flock turned upon them.y 



Rough Cock s-foot Grafs.y This is a coarfe, rough grafs, but very hardy and 

 productive. It is common in meadows ; and rather early.** Some condemn it 

 as not only an indifferent grafs, but one that is often rejected by cattle/ft Others, 

 however, on the authority of experience, confider it as highly valuable on moift 

 loams where the bottom is of a clayey marl nature ; and in cafes where the 

 grafTcs of a finer kind are liable to be overpowered and deftroyed by thofe plants 

 that are common to the foil. When it is kept very clofely fed down, it conflitutes 

 excellent paflurage for fheep j but when this is neglected, like many other grafles, 



* Holcus lanatus. 



\ Curtis s Pra&ical Obfervations. J Young in Communications to the Board, &c. vol. Ill* 



Marshall s Rural Economy of the Midland Counties. 

 1| Goring in Communications to the Board, &c. vol. I. 



1F Dactylis glomerata. 

 ** Curtis s Obfervations, &c. -ft Sole in Bath Papers, vol. IX. 



