ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. IO9 



becomes ufelefs as to the original intent, but 

 tough and indigeflible, and apt to occafion 

 dangerous obftruclions. 



In my opinion, natural grafs is fuperior, and 

 more hkely to anfwer the intended purpofe of 

 ftable foiHng, than tares or any other herbage ; 

 from repeated trials I have found, that horfes 

 and horned cattle prefer it to all other green 

 meat, without even excepting the fo often and 

 highly celebrated lucern. The great bulk of 

 the artificial graffes is an important objeft, but 

 no doubt, I conceive, can be entertained of the 

 fuperior quafity of the natural, either green or 

 dry. When the vaft confequence of grafs is 

 confidered, both in relation to quantity and 

 quality, the neglefted (late of our meadows 

 and pafture lands, in many parts of the coun- 

 try, may well be wondered at, and the quef- 

 tion naturally allied, why the fimple herbage 

 (houLd not be cultivated with the flime care 

 and affiduity as corn : I have known it repay 

 immenfely the expenfe of manure, of pure 

 and good feed brought from a confiderable 

 diftance, and of the mod attentive culture. 

 There cannot be a more improvident prac- 

 tice, whether in a public or private viev/, than 

 withholding fo tenacioufly old, foul, unpro- 

 du6f ive meadow from the plough ; the break- 

 ing up of which would pay fo abundantly in 

 the firft inllance, and dill more largely in the 



fucceedinff 



