270 TRAVELS THROUGH 



fpreading it is on the buck-wheat ftubble, 

 in order for the trefoil, which I never mow, 

 but paflure in the field with all forts of 

 cattle. 



' On the other hand, I improved large 

 tracts of wafte, which does, in general, very 

 badly for arable, but admirably for meadow. 

 Thefe are low flat fpots, that are boggy, 

 and the black earth wet, and of a greater 

 depth than that which I defcribed laft : thefe 

 will, when drained, yield fine crops of po- 

 tatoes, and alfo of oats 5 but, what is re- 

 markable, are quite unfuitable to all the 

 other products I have tried them with; but 

 when laid down for a meadow, with almoft 

 any kind of feed, prefently forms that which 

 is excellent, which yields very great crops 

 of good hay, and, if it lies fo as to be wa- 

 tered beneficially, will admit of mowing 

 twice, and even thrice a year ; and at three 

 mowings I have gained five loads of hay 

 from one acre, which is a prodigious pro- 

 duel: from land that was fo lately quite 

 worthlefs. Of this land there are great 

 tradls in different parts of the kingdom; but 

 nobody thinks of improving them, though 

 the profit of doing is fo clear as not to admit 



of 



