356 EXPERIMENTS ON Part III. 



thefe lall as fuch extraordinary produdions, that I do not expedl 

 many of them to yield the like quantity again. I think, one may 

 be very well fatisfied, if the plants, one with another, yield a pound 

 of hay a-piece every year. ^ This is nearly the refult of my experi- 

 ment on beds which had but one row ; and the produce of thefe 

 would have been flill greater, if many of ray plants had not failed : 

 in the room of which I fet young ones, which could not acquire 

 fufficient ftrength to yield full crops. 



*' In thefe experiments, I have employed no dung : neither have 

 I for any of my corn fields. I have referved it for improving my 

 paflures and meadows ; and intend next to apply it to my lucerne, 

 which, I doubt not» will be much the finer for it. The only thing 

 now remaining is, to know by experience which will be tlie beft 

 way of ufing it. I have fome thoughts on that head, which may 

 render it much more profitable. 



" Lucerne deferves to be cultivated with care : not only on ac- 

 count of the great quantity of fodder which it yields, but likewife 

 becailfe the quality of its hay is fuperior to any other. The new 

 husbandry will render it ftill more perfed:. Plants cultivated, this 

 way, enjoy the benefit of a free circulation of the air, and that cir- 

 culation keeps them fweet and found, and free from all mulUnefs 

 towards their roots : for, being open to the rays of the fun, that great 

 fource of kindly vegetation, they attain great perfedlion in all their 

 parts, both as to their fubftance, and their flavour. Catde eat this 

 food greedily,^ and are better nourifhed with it, than with any other : 

 but as every excefs is bad, too. greata quantity fliould not be given 

 them at once, efpecially at firfl:, left it fhould fwell tiiem. The 

 beft way is,- to bring them to it by degrees. 



** L have experienced thefe quaUties in this hay, by. comparing it 

 with every other fort. The excellence of this, juftifies the prin- 

 ciples on which the new husbandry is founded. I have oiferedto 

 my horfes bundles of every kind of hay, and at the fame, time a 

 bundle of this hay of lucerne. They have not hefitated a moment 

 to prefer the latter. Nothing but its fuperior qualities could de- 

 termine them in this choice,, which. has never varied,. and has always 

 been in favour of the lucerne cultivated in this manner. 



" It would be lavifhiiig this excellent fodder, to feed horfes en- 

 tirely with it. It need only be given them by turns with common 

 hay J which will be a great faving : for this lucerne will fupply the 

 place of oats,. I am certain that iwy borjes fed partly witit tin's hay^ 

 1 and 



