HISTORY. 61 



them much esteemed in a garden and called the French honey- 

 suckle. 



This plant will make twenty times the increase in poor ground 

 than the common turf; and this is owing to its having a long 

 perpendicular root called tap roots, as well as numbers of hori- 

 zontal ones; the perpendicular ones sink to a great depth to at- 

 tract its nourishment. The length of this root is scarce to be 

 credited by any but those who have seen it; I have drawn it out 

 of the ground near fourteen feet; and some have told me that 

 they have traversed it to double that length. This is the reason 

 I presume why this plant will bear drouth, when all other 

 grasses have been burnt up by the excessive dryness of the sea- 

 son. I have at one cutting got two tons of this hay per acre. 



Cold, clay, or wet land is not suitable for this grass, as it would 

 chill and rot the roots. The long root of Saintfoin has near the 

 surface many horizontal roots issuing from it, which extend 

 themselves every way; there are of the same kind all the way 

 down, as the roots go, but they grow shorter and shorter all the 

 way. 



Any dry land may be made to produce this valuable and use- 

 ful plant, though it be ever so poor; but the richest and best 

 land will produce the greatest crops of it. 



The best method of sowing it is by drilling, but the earth must 

 be very well prepared and the seed well ordered, or else very 

 little of it will grow. The heads of these seeds are so large and 

 their necks so weak, that if they be above an inch deep, they are 

 not able to rise through the incumbent mould, and, if they are 

 not covered, they will be malted; that is, it will send out its root 

 while it lies above ground, and be killed by the air. 



The best season for planting it is the beginning of spring; and 

 it is always strongest when planted alone. 



If barley, oats, or any other grain sown with the saintfoin, 

 happen to be lodged afterwards, it kills the young saintfoin. The 

 quantity of seed to be drilled or sown broadcast upon an acre of 

 land will depend wholly on the goodness of it; for there is some 

 seed, of which not one in ten will strike; whereas, in good seed, 

 not one in twenty will fail. The method of knowing the goodness 

 is by sowing a certain number of the seeds, and seeing how many 

 plants are produced by them. If it is above two years old, it 

 will not grow. The external signs of the seed being good are 

 that the husk is of a bright color rather of a purple, and the 

 kernel plump, of a light grey or blue color. If the kernel be cut 

 across, and appear greenish and fresh, it is a certain sign it is 

 good. If it be of a yellowish color, and friable, and looks thin 

 and pitted, it is a bad sign. The quantity of seed allowed to the 



