84 GENESEE FLATS. 



groups and at intervals ; and perhaps no gentleman s par!: in 

 Britain equals them in fertility and beauty. They differ 

 from the rest of the surface in this part of the country, by 

 having been cleared by nature, and are chiefly in grass, af 

 fording the richest pasturage I ever saw, with exception of 

 some fields in the neighbourhood of Boston, Lincolnshire, 

 England. On examining some parts which had never been 

 subjected to the plough, red and white clovers were particu 

 larly abundant, also timothy grass (Phleum pratense), and 

 several kinds of poea. Cocksfoot was less common, and a 

 few spikes of tall oat-like grass (Hokus avenaceus). Rye- 

 grass or yellow- flowering clovers were not visible. A field 

 was pointed out which had been mown for hay thirty-five suc 

 cessive years, without top-dressing, and the grasses were still 

 in vigour of growth, interspersed with red clover nearly thirty 

 inches high. 



The young gentleman joined us on the flats, and pointed 

 out every thing deserving of notice. The sheep were a 

 mixture of Merino and Saxon breeds, and not fat looking. 

 There was a fine shorthorn bull, intended to improve the 

 dairy stock, which I did not see. This contemplated im 

 provement originated from perusing the writings of the Rev. 

 Henry Berry of England ; and I took the liberty of advising 

 the cross to be tried on a small scale, believing the short 

 horns the worst milking breed in Britain. This opinion was 

 new to the gentleman, who said he would keep it in view, 

 and proceed cautiously in intermixing the breeds. The gra 

 zing cattle were extremely numerous four-year-olds, which 

 had been bought in spring, and kept on hay till the arrival 

 of grass, on which they are to be fatted. Mr Wadesworth 

 intends to cultivate wheat extensively ; and one enclosure, as 

 a beginning, was bearing an indifferent crop. I have often 

 observed wheat not succeed well on very rich ground, and 

 that, in Britain, the United States, and Canada, soils which 

 have been long under cultivation, yield the best crops of this 

 grain when properly managed. There was a variety of im 

 plements which brought to recollection those at Holkham, 

 Norfolk, England. Amongst others, a mowing machine was 

 exhibited and descanted on. We were shown a fine oak-tree 



