THE RURAL SOCRATES. 23 



inflance, we find a manifefl proof of the infinite wifdom 

 and goodnefs of the Creator. Let but the hufbandman 

 fulfil his part of the obligation by induflrious culture, 

 and leave the refult to Providence. The mofl whole- 

 fome and nutricious plants will grow fpontaneoufiy ; 

 the winds will wafc from diflant fields the moft ufeful 

 feeds, which want nothing but a proper bed to make 

 them vegetate ; vvhilfl noxious weeds, not finding fuita- 

 blc nourifhment, will wither for want of the juices ap- 

 propriated for them. 



. Till lately, Kliyogg never heard of artificial grafTes. 

 The firft account of them engaged his attention. The 

 Philofophical Society of Zurich remitted him fomc 

 pounds of Flanders trefoil feed {trifQlium pyatenje pur- 

 piireum majus. Ray. HijI. 944) requefling him to make 

 fome experiments. — For this purpoie he prepared a 

 piece of ground near his houfe, in the manner I have 

 defcribed, and divided it into two equal parts ; in one 

 he fowed the Flanders trefoil, in the other common 

 grafs- feeds ; both divifions were manured in the lame 

 manner and carefully watered^ from the ilagnant pools , 

 and he accurately obferved the comparative produce, 

 in waiting the refult, he made feveral other trials of the 

 Flanders trefoil in fmaller fpots of ground ; fome richly 

 manured, otheus of the fame fize in an unimproved 

 ftate. — Thefe various experiments tended to convince 

 kim that this foreign trefoil, like the grafTes common to 

 our own country, was more or lefs luy-uriant chiefly ac- 

 cording 



" made by Here or maile, hvl on in great qir^ntines. I hate an accoant 

 ** by me of an Dnconnn)on Ijrge crop, no lefs chan thjee tons an a<:rc heirg 

 ''produced at Ke<'ge!y-]V!oor, in Northumbeiland^t in confcquencc of a 

 " large qoantiiy of lime being laid on fome acres of black moor land cnv- 

 ♦* crcd wi.h heaih : the heaih was entirely killed, and this great btii^hen 

 «» of whi'e cl')vcr fucceeded, without any aifignable nr.eans ot conveyance 

 «< of the feed. ..-I find from other account;', that the fame commonly lap- 

 4* pens in the county of Galloway, where great quantities of fuch moor 

 « land have been lately brought into caltiv;ition. Very copious manur- 

 «< ing with lime, dung or marlc, appears there to deftroy the heath, and pro- 

 55 du:s whijc elavcr," McnQirs sf A^rkuliurs^ VcK I. p. 3^6, i. 



