74 ^"^^^ Livingjloii' s Experiments on Lucerne. 



been thought better to have deferred this communication till 

 another year had afforded me the means of flating thefe refults ; 

 but as I was led into this cdurfe of experiments with a view to 

 acquire fuch a knowledge of this plant, and the mode of 

 cultivating it, as would enable others to avail themfelves of 

 my errors and my experience, without incurring expences 

 that would difcourage them in the outfet, I have thought it 

 prudent thus early, to ftate them, fmce even now, important 

 deductions may be drawn from them. 



From the firft experiment It appears, that it may be eafily 

 fov/n on a dry foil with oats and clover, and that its annual 

 clear profits, after deducing every expence, will exceed, on 

 the two firft years, L. 7 per acre. The failure therefore of 

 that fown this year with oats, muft be afcribed to the following 

 caufes : i ft, A luxuriance in the oats, which was by no means 

 to be expeded from the foil, and is v/holly to be attributed to 

 the improvement it had received from clover and gypfum, 

 and is fo far a ftriking leifon to farmers, as well as a confirmation 

 of the conje6lures I had the honour to fubmit to the Society 

 on the effed: of gypfum as a permanent improver of the foil. 

 2d, The oats having been fown on one ploughing, fo that the 

 ground was lefs mellow than it fhould be for the reception of 

 lucerne. — 3d, To the extreme drought of the fpring ; clover 

 having not fucceeded better than lucerne, when fown together. 

 The fecond experiment proves that ground which has not been 



