128 MARCH. 



which is after the rate of 540 sheep per acre for 

 one week, once in six years, leaving 25s. a head 

 profit." Ib. p. 163. 



The great advantage of having land alternately 

 under grass and corn, was known in the last cen- 

 tury. Considerations concerning Common Fields and 

 Enclosures, 4to. time of the Commonwealth, page 

 10. But in France, much earlier, De Serres, 1629, 

 page 6. 



SAINFOIN. 



This is the principal season for sowing sainfoin, 

 and if the reader has land that will produce it, he 

 can apply it to no crop equally profitable. Loams 

 and sands upon chalk are the favourite soils ; also 

 loams and clays in a shallow stratum, on limestone. 

 It does, however, on very dry sound gravels, but 

 not if the under stratum be much mixed with clay. 

 I have tried it without success on good dry turnip 

 loams, but on every species of chalk and white marl 

 its success is certain. The profit far exceeds that of, 

 any other application of such a soil. On poor sands 

 in Norfolk and Suffolk, worth only 5s. an acre, the 

 crop, for several years (after the first), has been from 

 one to two tons and a half per acre, of excellent hay, 

 and mown every year. Whatever the price of hay 

 may be, such a produce on such land is prodi- 

 gious, with the additional circumstance of an after- 

 grass extremely valuable for weaning and keeping 

 lambs. I know not a more lamentable circumstance 

 than to see such poor soils yielding a beggarly pro- 

 duct in corn, other grass and turnips ; with not one 



acre 



