Chap. XI. O F M E A D O W. ^ 



grows naturally upon gravel and clay, in moft: parts of England ; a 

 plain indication how eafily this plant may be cuhivated to great ad- 

 vantage, in moft forts of land throughout tliis kingdom. 



It is therefore plainly owing to our farmers not diflinguifhing 

 grafTes that are annual, from thofe which are perennial, that land 

 which has been in tillage is not brought to a good turf again, in the 

 common method of hufbandry : for annual and biennial grafTes will 

 foon decay, and nothing can be expedled to fucceed them, but what 

 will grow naturally, except, perhaps, on fome fpots, where their 

 feeds may chance to have ripened and fown themfelves. This, added 

 to the covetous method of laying down the ground with a crop of 

 corn, has been the true caufe of the decreafe of pafture in many 

 parts of England, where it is now much more valuable than arable 

 land. 



After the ground has been brought to a good fward, the way to 

 prefcrve it fo, is to roll it conftantly every fpring and autumn, with 

 a heavy roller, and to keep it clear from all forts of weeds. Dref- 

 fing of thefe paftures every third year, is alfo neceffary j for other- 

 wife, it cannot be expedled that this ground, which has not the be- 

 nefit of tillage, lliould continue to produce good crops : and another 

 thing proper to be obferved, is to change the feafons of mowing, 

 and not to mow the fame ground every year ; but to mow one fea- 

 fcn, and feed the next : for the ground that is mowed every year, 

 will foon be exhaufted, if it has not a conftant fupply of manure. 



A great advantage of dry upland paftures, is, that they may be 

 fed all the winter, which low wet meadows cannot be. 



Meadow land will indeed produce a much greater quantity of 

 hay than upland pafture, and will not require manuring fo often : 

 but then the upland hay is infinitely better, and far fweeter food for 

 cattle. 



SECT. II. 



Of Meadow. 



THERE are two kinds of meadows in England, the one called' 

 water-meadows, and the other only meadows. • ' ' 



Mr. Worlidge diftinguifhes three forts of water meadows j vk;* 

 u Such as lie flat on the banks of great rivers, and are fubjedt to b6' 

 overflowed by them in times of land floods only. 2. Such as lie' 

 near fmaller rivers or ftreams, and are capable of being drowned or" 



B b b 2 watered. 



