334 Cultivation of Arable Land. Burncl SeedTime of 



-clFecls of the fra air, and, as growing well on land liable to be covered with fait 

 water, may be a valuable plant in fuch forts of ground. Its leaves, from their 

 fmallnefs, have the appearance of the thicker and better forts of grafs. Both 

 cattle, fheep, and horfes, feed upon its leaves with much greedinefs, but particu 

 larly fheep, which pare it as clofe as poffible.* It affords much feed, which is 

 capable of being eafily collected. 



Burnet.-\- This is a plant which has a perennial root that ftrikes deep into the 

 foil, with a (talk a foot or more in height. Though the utility of it as a field 

 grafs has been difputed by feme, it is mown by the repeated trials of others, that 

 it may be had recourfe to with much advantage on fuch foils as are fuited to its 

 growth. 



Seed. In the culture of the plant it is of vafl importance to have good feed, 

 and that which is of the proper fort. It may be the belt procured by felecling a 

 part where the plants are good, as they afford it in a large proportion. Where 

 the land is intended as a fhcep-pafture it fhould befown broadcaft over the ground ; 

 but in other cafes it admits of being cultivated in drills, in the fame manner as 

 lucern. 



The proportion of feed which is neceffary is moftly about one bufhel to the acre. 



Time of /owing. The moft proper feafon for fowing this fort of grafs feed is 

 in the early fpring, as in April ; in which cafe it is ufually fown with barley or 

 oats, being covered in by two harrowings. It may likewife be fown in May with 

 buck-wheat with much propriety. It has alfobeen fuggefled that it may befown; 

 fo late as the latter end of July or beginning of the following month on land that 

 has failed for turnips. Itanfwers very well when mixed with Ray-grafs or Cock s- 

 foot grafs feeds in the proportion of one bufhel of either of them to three pecks of 

 the Burnet feed. 



After-management. It requires but little attention after k has been put into the 

 foil, except being kept clean, till the periods of its being mown, when left for that 

 purpofe, which is in July, when care mould be taken in cutting it, as the feed is 

 liable to fhed. It mould be threflied out in the field, where it can be done with 

 convenience, in the fame way as cole feed ; the ftraw being made into hay . After, 

 it has been mown for feed or a fecond crop of hay, the ftock fhould be kept from 

 it during the whole of the autumn and winter, that there may be a full bite for 

 flieep in March, which i& its peculiar advantage, and the circumftance upon which, 

 its utility in a great meafure depends. Under the contrary management it is much, 

 ,kfs beneficial. 



* Anderfqn s .Eflays, vol. II.. t Polerium sang.nise.rba,. 



