112 AGRICULTURAL WRITERS. 



upon promise and assurance that their trade should not be prejudiced by the planting 

 of tobacco here in England. 



St. Foine is the most wholesome grass that cattle can eat, from whence some have 

 thought it to be Sanuni fcFmunt, but it is indeed called in French St. Foine, that is 

 Sa7ictv))2 fcetnit??!, \t seems to spring out of the earth as if it were a more especiall 

 favour from God, not only for nourishing and fatting herdes of caitell, but also to 

 serve for Phisick for beasts that are sick, and is called of the Latines Medica. 



It begetteth so much milk and so good that the dairymaid in one week finds a 

 great alte'-ation for the better in colour, quantity, and quality. It must raise very 

 much, and very good honey and wax, bees delighting in it so much, and unless that 

 which God promised the Israelites be a curse to England, viz., A Land flowing with 

 milk and honey, I hope no man will endeavour to hinder the increase of St. Foine. 



Sainfoin is grown to-day very largely upon light dry soils in the south 

 of England, chiefly on the limestone formation. It is a very hardy plant, 

 and withstands both cold and drought. There are now^ two varieties ; 

 the old English long-standing type, which is cut once a year, and will last 

 for many years, and the giant, which is a strong growing sort of Conti- 

 nental origin that usually gives two crops a year, but dies away after a 

 few years. The seed is sown early in spring, often under a corn 

 crop, either broadcast across the rows of corn, or in gin. drills. If sown 

 in the husk, at the rate of five bushels per acre, or if shelled seed is used 

 about 561b. per acre. It may be depastured, soiled, or made into hay. 

 I have also seen it scratched into corn stubbles on the chalk in Surrey, 

 and with seemingly very little cultivation yield a heavy fodder crop early 

 the following season, and eagerly purchased by owners of horses. 



Sir John Pettus, Kt. appears to have resided in Suffolk, and was 

 M.P. for Dunwich. He was appointed by Cromwell Deputy-Governor 

 of the Mines Royal, and translated a Avork from the German into English 

 " On the Laws of Art and Nature in Knowing, Judging, Essaying, etc., 

 the Bodies of Confined Metals," published in 1686, with a fine portrait 

 and forty-four enCTravinsrs. 



ANDREW YARRANTON. 



1 620- 1 685 {about). 



It ha? already been observed that the seventeenth century was dis- 

 tinguished in the annals of husbandry by the introduction and cultivation 

 of certain forage and herbage plants, many of w^hich retain their place 

 on the farm to-day. They mostly consist of leguminous crops, and 

 chief among them is clover, lucerne, and sainfoin. The first record of 

 any of the true grasses for hay or pasture is noted in Dr. Plot's " Oxford- 

 shire." published in 1677, where he states : 



They have lately sown ray grass, or th ; Gramen loliaceum (now known as LoUum 

 perenne, or perennial rye grass), by which they improve any cold, sour clay weeping 



