384 Cultivation of Arable Land. Lucern After-management, of* 



The refult of the comparative experiment, made by Mr. Anderdon, with this 

 Crop, and thofeof burnet and faintfoin, fhows its great fuperiority over them.* 



Though crops of this fort fliould not, by any means, be fed clofe with flieep ftock, 

 it is probable that, in particular cafes, they may be applied as an early green 

 feed for ewes and lambs with great utility and convenience, as they may be re 

 lied on for this fort of feed much fooner than any other kinds of artificial grafs 

 crops, efpecially in foils of the rich, dry, and warm- defcriptions : being often 

 ready for the purpofe foon after the middle of March, affording a good bite 

 through the whole of the following month, the moft difficult period for the pro 

 viding of fuitable fupport for this kind of ftock. The benefit produced in the heal 

 thy growth and improvement of the lambs in this mode, wijl much more than 

 counterbalance any lofs fuftained in the firft cuts for foiling of horfes. The flieep 

 ihould not, however, remain on longer than while the firft flioots are eaten down. 



On the whole, though this plant is capable of being thus ufefully applied, con- 

 fidering the very great expenfes which are neceflary in raifing and keeping lu- 

 cern crops in a ftate of production, and their affording but little produce, efpecially 

 when fown without corn, for the firft years, notwithftandingthey appear to yield 

 a great advantage in the practice of foiling animals, it is probable that much of 

 the profit depends upon the method of confuming them, and not on that of the 

 particularly advantageous nature of the plants. Its fuperiority to clover, when die 

 differences in the expenfes of their cultureand other circumftances are fairly brought 

 into view, will not, perhaps, appear fo great as many on a fuperficial obfervation 

 may have fuppofed. The point in which it moft materially excels that invalua 

 ble plant is the duration, or time which it lafts in the ground, after being once 

 introduced, continuing from ten to fifteen and even twenty years, according to the 



Ibs. 



* Lucern at four cuttings green, produced .... _ 159 



Burnet _ _ 84 



Saintfoin 112 



The difadvantagos of making them into ha} Hand thus: 



Ibs. Ibs. 



Lucern in grafs ..... 57y . -. in hay 22 



Burnet in ditto 25^ in hay 7 



Saintfoin in ditto 29{ in hay 9 



One cutting of each. 



Thefe fads fully mow the great lofs and difadvantage of employing in the way of hay the more 

 fucculent forts of vegetable productions that are capable of being cut and foiled in their green ftate. 



