MEADOWS. 113 



CHAPTER XL 



OP MEADOWS. 



THESE are either natural or artificial ; the former 

 containing only plants of spontaneous growth, the 

 latter those selected, sown, and cultivated by man. 

 The better to keep this distinction in view, we shall 

 speak of them separately ; and, 



I. Of Natural Meadows. 



These have been classed by botanists according 

 to their elevation; and have thence been denomina- 

 ted high, middling, and low. But as this principle 

 fails altogether to indicate their agricultural charac- 

 ter and properties,* a better one has been found in 

 their relative moisture; whence they are denom- 

 inated dry, or moist, or wet. The products of these 

 have been carefully and skilfully analyzed in Ger- 

 many, in Italy, in England, and in France ;f and the 

 result shows that wet meadows contain a smaller 

 number of the different species of plants, but a 

 greater number of those which are either useless 

 or injurious; and, on the other hand, that moist 

 meadows contain a greater number of the former, 

 and a smaller number of the latter. The following 

 simple table exhibits, at a glance, the present state 

 of knowledge on this important part of our subject : 

 Whole number of Plants 



in wet meadows, 30 ; useful 4, useless or bad 26. 

 Do. in dry meadows, 38 ; do. 8, do. 30. 



Do, in moist meadows, 42 ; do. 17, do. 25. 



* We often find bogs on the tops of mountains, and arid sands 

 on the banks of rivers. 



f See " Observations mac'e by the Agricultural Society of 

 Great Britain," and " Memoires sur 1'Agriculturo du Bouton- 

 nais," &c.. &c.. per M. Dumont de Coursit. 

 K 2 



