On Grass Land. 435 



turity of the plant, the employment which it furnishes to la- 

 bourers ( 38 ), and the great amount of its produce. 



6. Miscellaneous Articles. 



A variety of other grasses, in particular circumstances, 

 might be grown with advantage. The common medick, 

 usually named trefoil, or yellow clover, (medicago lupulina), 

 is an useful plant mixed with other grasses, as it comes 

 rapidly forward. Marl, or cow-grass (trifolium medium), 

 being more lasting than common red clover, is well en- 

 titled to the attention of the farmer, when lands are to 

 remain some time in a state of grass. In America, Ti- 

 mothy-grass, (phleum pratense), is the principal growth of 

 their meadow lands ; succeeding well in moist soils and 

 situations. It is very productive, and is coming gra- 

 dually into use in England. It is rather a late grass, 

 in regard to the production of its flower stalks, or culms for 

 the hay crop, but its herbage springs early, and is nutritive. 

 Its coarseness renders it at first objectionable ; but the 

 hay is abundant, and very nutritious. On mere bogs, 

 the florin yields a great weight of herbage ; and is per- 

 haps the most useful plant that such ground can produce. 

 The utility of rye-grass, (lolium perenne), has been much dis- 

 puted, but when stocked hard, and kept down, or fed with 

 sheep, or, if intended for hay, cut early, the objections to it 

 are removed ( 381 ). Cook's-foot (dactylis glomeratd) is early, 

 hardy, and productive ; butit isacoarser plant than rye-grass, 

 and requires even greater attention in regard to being cut 

 soon, or fed close ( 38 *). It does best by itself, and the time 

 of its ripening, being different from that of clover, it does not 

 suit well to be mixed with that plant. The pasturage which it 

 affords is luxuriant, and particularly agreeable to sheep ( 383 ). 

 Chicory (cichorium intybus) also, is strongly recommended, 

 as hardy ; calculated for the poorest soils ; and adapted 

 even for bogs ; though not fitted to be converted into hay, 

 yet excellent for pasture or soiling ; producing a greater 

 quantity of food for sheep, than any other grass now in cul- 

 tivation. 



There are in ail 215 grasses, properly so called, which are 

 capable of being cultivated in the climate of Great Britain. 

 Of these, only two have been employed to any extent in 

 making artificial meadows, rye-grass, and cock's-foot. The 

 Duke of Bedford was thence induced, to institute a series of 

 experiments, to try the comparative merits and value of a 



