A xn A' /•; [ i ■ }'.\R A'. I X rox. 1 1 5 



He then breaks out into poc-try in praise of clover : 



When poets call for aid, do the)' invoke 

 The oyl of barley, hops, or Indian smoke 7 

 Must Bacchus fill their veins'.' these drown and smother 

 And dull their wits ; give ine the oyl of clover, 

 One drop of which contains such virtue in it 

 It makes a perfect poet in a minute. 

 1 crave no aid ; give me the goose's quill 

 That's fed with clover, and I'll try my skill. 

 But three-leaved grass soon )ield a three-fold profit ; 

 Three volumes may be writ in pra'ses of it. 



The author ascribes the taiiure in gro\vln_i^ clo\ers to the very just 

 cause of ignorance in the management ; the unprepared state of the 

 ground, and too little seed being sown. He avers that clover improves 

 land by the corruption of superfluous parts of the plant, 1)\- the root 

 cleaning the soil, and by the shade of the leaves, beneath which the 

 moisture is retained, and an incipient decomposition is encouraged, which 

 mellows the surface of the ground, and provides food for future crops. 

 These opinions have not yet been superseded. It being a w ell known 

 fact that leguminous crops are often ploughed in to add nitrogen to the 

 soil. The author thinks dry, gravelly grounds are not agreeable to the 

 clover plant, especially if it has not been well limed before. He reckons 

 six acres of clover equal to thirty acres of natural grass in the main- 

 tenance of cattle. He urges the use of lime to encourage clover, and 

 reckons £2, per acre to be the w^orth of clover to grass or mow. 1"he 

 month of March is recommended for the sowing of clover, that the j)lants 

 may be rooted before the drought catch it, and the quantity is r2lb. per 

 acre. The author had sown clover without grain in April and August, 

 and preferred the latter month. It is sown by hand, like corn. The hay 

 is made as nowadays, by turning the swathes gentlv, and not shakincr 

 out, and it is recommended to mix the ricks of damp clovers with barley 

 and oaten straw, which will makt- good fodder. Clover lands, after beino- 

 mown, are much benefited by being watered for the second crop, if the 

 application be possible. Clover is good food for all grazing animals ; 

 cattle are cautiously put to eat it, in short spaces of time, for thn-e 

 following days. Horses are introduced to it without danger, and also 

 swine at any time of the year. Geese and turkeys are also fed upon 

 clover. Drilling and hoeing of the plant is mentioned, but not stren- 

 uously advocated. He adds that the land is richer from the decayed 

 leaves, and the additional grazing so manures the land that after three or 

 tour vears 



It doth so frame the land that being ploughed it will yield three or four years 

 together a crop of wheat, and after that a crop of oats. 



^^-lrranton issued in 1677 a work entitled "England's Improvement 



I 2 



