New Jerfey, Raccoon. 269 



than one at that time ; but the caufes of thisalte-- 

 ration are eafy to find. In the younger years of 

 old Helm, the country was little inhabited, and 

 hardly the tenth part of the cattle kept which is 

 at prefent ; a cow had therefore as much food at 

 that time, as ten now have. Further, moft 

 kinds of grafs here are annual, and do not for fe- 

 veral years together moot up from the fame root, 

 as our Swdtfo graffes : they muft fow themfelves 

 every year, becaufe the laft year's plant dies away 

 every autumn. The great numbers of cattle hin- 

 der this fowing, as the grafs is eaten before it can 

 produce flowers and fruit. We need not there- 

 fore wonder that the grafs is fo thin on fields, 

 hills, andpaftures in thefe provinces. This is 

 likewife the reafon why travellers in New Jerfey, 

 Penfyhania, and Maryland, find many difficul- 

 ties, efpecially in winter, to get forwards with 

 their own horfes, for the grafs in thefe provinces 

 is not very abundant, becaufe the cattle eat it be- 

 fore it can bring feeds : but more to the north, 

 as in Canada, are a fufficient quantity of peren- 

 nial graffes ; fo wifely has the Creator regu- 

 lated every thing. The cold parts of the earth 

 naturally bring forth a more durable grafs, 

 becaufe the inhabitants want more hay to feed 

 their cattle with, on account of the length of 

 the winter. The Ibuthern provinces again have- 

 lefs perennial grafs, as the cattle may be in the 

 fields all the winter. However careful cecono- 

 mifts have got feeds of perennial graffes from 

 England, and other European ftates, and fowed 

 it in their meadows, where they feem to thrive 

 exceedingly well, 



THB 



