56*8 Cultivation of Arable Land. Saintfoin Seed and Time of fowing of. 



When it is let remain for hay it does not afford a large produce, but a fort which is 

 highly ufcful as a (beep-fodder in the winter feafon j and Itfs wafteful than mofr. 

 other kinds, and which, at the fame time, is fuppofed by fome Icfs troublefome in 

 the proccfs of hay-making, though others alfert that it readily mats together and 

 becomes mouldy by wet.* 



The feed is to be collected from the fecond {hoot in the manner di reeled for 

 clover, and the produce is in general confiderable, often affording feven or eight 

 luifhcls of clean feed from the acre. But on the whole it is much lefs valuable 

 than common clover as an artificial grafs. 



Saintfoin^ This is a plant which, though Icfs generally introduced into cultiva 

 tion than clover, is not lefs important or ufeful to the farmer. It is on the lighter 

 und thinner forts of calcareous foils, what that plant is on all thofe of the ftrong, 

 &amp;lt;eayy, and moredeep kind; and it has the fuperiority of being more durable. It 

 as equally advantageous for the purpofes of hay as thofe of pafturage, and in the 

 latter method has not, it is faid, the dangerous property of having or fwelling the 

 cattle that feed upon it, as is the cafe with clover. Its lafting properties on poor 

 barren foils in hilly fituations, where other forts of graffy herbage are deficient or 

 fcarccly to be procured at all, likewife render it particularly beneficial in fupplying 

 a valuable green food for different forts offtock.J 



The foils moft proper for this fort of grafs are thofe of chalky loams, light fandy 

 or gravelly kind, or almoft any of a mixed quality, provided they be not wet, and 

 have a rocky or hard calcareous bottom, to check the roots at the depth of a foot 

 -or fifteen inches below the furface ; otherwife they are apt to exhauft themfelves in 

 running down. On this account it is improper for being fown where there 

 is great depth of mould. It isafferted to afford a large produce even on thofe of the 

 .pooreft quality ; and on fuch as are of a more rich and friable nature it is often very 

 abundant. It is only, however, in the calcareous foils, or fuch as have been well 

 impregnated with that fort of matter, that this plant fucceeds in a perfect manner, 

 ,or becomes durable.^ 



In regard to the preparation of the ground, it cannot be made too clean or tod 

 fine before the feed is fown ; of courfe it generally fucceeds beft after turnips or 

 other fimilar crops which require a fine clean culture while they are growing. It 

 often, however, anfwers well on lands that have not undergone fo high a degree 

 of preparation. 



* Kent s Hints. t Hedysarum onobrychi*. J Kent s Hints. 



^ Marshall s Rural Economy of Southern Counties, vol. I. 



