Chap. XI. O F P A S T U R E G R O U N D. 369 



" have never met with one of them, who had the lead notion of 

 *' laying down their land to grafs for any longer continuance ; there- 

 " fore the feeds which they ufually fow, are the beil adapted for 

 ** this purpofe. 



*' But whatever may have been the pracflice of thefe people, I 

 •' hope to prove, that it is poflible to lay down land which has 

 " been in tillage, with grafs, in fuch a manner that the fward fhall 

 " be as good, if not better, than any natural grafs, and of as long 

 " duration. But this is never to be expefted in the common me- 

 *' tliod of fowing a crop of corn with the grafs feed ; for wherever 

 " this has been praclifed, if the corn has fucceeded well, the grafs 

 *' has been very poor and weak ; fo that if the land has not been 

 " very good, the grafs has fcarcely been worth {landing : for the 

 ** following year it has produced but little hay ; and the year after, 

 *' the crop is worth little, either to mow or feed : nor can it be 

 *' expedled it (hould be otherwife ; for the ground cannot nourifh 

 *' two crops." 



In confequence of this, Mr. Miller proceeds to give the follow- 

 ing direftions for the management of pafture ground. 



When ground is laid down for grafs, no crop of any kind fhould 

 be fown with the feeds, and the land fhould be well plowed, and 

 cleaned from weeds. The beft feafon to fow the grafs-feeds, upon 

 dry land, is about the middle of September, or fooner, if there is 

 an appearance of rain ; becaufe, the ground being then warm, if 

 fome good fliowers of rain fall after the feed is fown, the grafs will 

 foon make its appearance, and get fufficient rooting in the ground 

 before winter, not to be in danger of being turned out by the froft ; 

 efpecially if the ground is well rolled before the frofts come on. 

 If the grafs comes up well, this rolling fhould be performed to- 

 wards the end of Odlober or the beginning of November, and repeat- 

 ed again in the beginning of March. The fward will, in this cafe, 

 be clofely joined at the bottom, and a good crop of hay may be ex- 

 peded the fame fummer. In cold lands, which lie very open and 

 expofed, it will be right to fow the feeds a month earlier, that the 

 grafs may have time to get good rooting, before the cold feafon 

 comes on to ilop its growth. If the ground cannot be prepared fof 

 fowing in autumn, it may be fowed in the middle or latter end of 

 March, according as the feafon is early or late. The danger of 

 fowing late, is, dry weather, efpecially if the foil is light and dry. 

 It will then be proper to roll the ground well, foon after the feeds 



B b b are 



