136 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



If the first season for mowing prove wet, let the crop be 

 left for seed. It is at no time to be cut before it is in full 

 bloom. 



BURNET (Poterium Sanguisorba) is mostly used for early 

 Sheep-feeding; though it may be advantageously used for 

 soiling cattle ; as it is hardy, is little affected by drought or 

 frosts, and will even vegetate in moderate Winter- weather. 

 If reserved for hay, it must be cut early, or it will become 

 too coarse. It requires a dry soil, and may be sown with 

 the drill, or broad-cast. It is essential to have good seed; 

 for which purpose, a proper spot for raising it should be 

 selected. 



When a crop is designed for seed, let the ground be fed 

 till sometime in May ; otherwise the gras will be too rank 

 for seed. These should be gathered while moist with dew, 

 and threshed out in the barn, as soon as they can be dried 

 there. They may be sown any time before August, after 

 the ground has been well prepared. The following season, 

 the crop is to be kept clear ot weeds by the harrow, and, 

 after that, it will grow so strongly as to keep down all 

 other growths. 



CICHORY (Cichorium Intibus) commonly called Wild- 

 succory, has been but lately cultivated ; but on poor blow- 

 ing sands, and weak dry soils, Mr. Young thinks it superior 

 to any other plant; and that, if sown with burnet and cocks* 

 foot, it will form a layer, for six or seven years, far ex- 

 ceeding those made of trefoil, raygrass, and white-clover. 

 It grows more luxuriantly than burnet, lucerne, or saint- 

 loin, and may be often cut, for soiling, during the Summer; 

 twice during the first season, and three or four times after- 

 wards, or every second month till October. It may be 

 made into hay, which is coarse, but tolerably nourishing: 

 Its principal use, however, is for soiling and for Sheep- 

 feeding, as it is less injured by close feeding than most 

 other vegetables. 



Mr. Young- advises it to be drilled at the distance of nine 

 inches, on poor lands, or twelve, where the soil is richer, 

 after the soil has been first duly mellowed. In this case, it 

 will be greatly improved by an occasional scarifying. It 

 may also be sown with oats in the broad-cast; but, for 

 soiling, it is best sown alone in the fore part of the season, 

 and lightly harrowed in. It produces plenty of seed, which 

 is easily gathered. 



SPURRY (S/iurgula Arvensis) has been considerably cul- 

 tivated in Flanders, on account of its growing very late in 

 the Fall, and even during Winter, and affording good food 

 for Sheep and Cows. Cattle are very fond of it. It flowers 

 from July to September, and is best suited to sandy and 

 other dry soils. 



