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071 Fiorin^ Mangel- Wiirtzel^ Onions^ and Cabbages^ by 

 Richard Peters^ Esquire, 



Read, November 9, 1813. 



Belmont, October 7, 1813, 

 Dear Sir, 



On the 4th instant I cut my Fiobin. I found, that 

 practice, to a large extent, will be required, before our 

 people will become adroit in cutting this grass. My 

 little crop was matted and much entangled ; and the 

 smooth edged hook was employed in preference to the 

 sithe ; with which latter, little could be done. In Ire^ 

 land J the sithe is always used. 



I caused the produce of a small patch, measuring 

 nearly two square perches, to be weighed, as soon as 

 cut. It weighed 306 pounds. I calculate this to be 

 p.t the rate of near eleven tons, to the acre, (sta- 

 tute) of green fodder. When dried, it weighed 120 

 nett pounds ; or at the rate of only four tons, one quar- 

 ter of a ton and eighty pounds. What older grass, or 

 that on wet soils, or those flooded or irrigated, will do ; 

 further experiments must determine. Though perfect- 

 ly free from any disagreeable smell ; it has not the in- 

 viting savour of our good hay. 



I think it should have been cut sooner ; as many of 

 the strhigs appeared dry, and not flourishing at the 

 root ; though in general sound and succulent. 



I presume that, in Ireland, the twenty tons of green 

 fodder, in a season, to the acre, mentioned, by Dr. 

 Richardson, as having been made by Mr. Curiven, must 

 have been calculated on more cuttings, or older and 



