On Fiorin Grass. 69 



months. The later, in the fall, the grass is cut, the 

 better. This gives time for the most valuable parts, 

 the runnersy to grow and encrease in number. Dr. 

 Richardson prefers the first or second week in October 

 (in Ireland) though he has mown as late as December, 

 or January. Our severer winters forbid such procras- 

 tinated gathering the crops. All our crops ripen ear- 

 ly ; and this grass may be fit to cut here in August, 

 or September, at farthest. Winrows may answer, in 

 the first instance, as well as lap-cocks. 



In Europe they find that turnips^ potatoes^ carrots^ 

 or other such food, are unnecessary, when dairy covjs^ 

 or ewes while suckling, are fed constantly, on Fiorin 

 strings. 



It is called stolonifera, from the lateral shoots or sto- 

 h?ies, projecting from the main stem. These become 

 parent stems, and shoot out their stolones, till all the 

 surface is covered with a kind of net work ; which 

 rises in thickness, and plentifully affords a heavy sward. 



I met with a worthy, intelligent, Irish woman (the 

 mother of my neighbour, Mr. Thomas Bones) at a time 

 when I had some of the strings of Fioinn in my hand. 

 She was highly delighted with them, and recognized 

 at once '* her favorite Irish grass ;" as she expressed 

 herself. She called it ^'fiotter grass. ^^ She informed 

 me that it grew, in great plenty, on the shores of Lough 

 Neagh, It spreads itself into the Lough, in extensive 

 floating sheets ; tied to the shores, by strongly rooted 

 stems. The neighbouring cottagers, at all seasons, in 

 winter most commonly, haul on shore what they re- 

 quire, in great abundance ; and carry off car loads for 



