54 MINUTES OF 



On Nalaral Grasses. 



If saintfoin is the principal grass intended for laying land down to pasture, 

 all the other seeds should be omitted, except the red clover, or trefoil. 



An d the saintfoin should be omitted when the other grasss seeds are sown. 



Wheke grasses are-sown for the purpose of consuming the first foliage, as 

 lucern, red clover, or saintfoin, the seed should be sown thicker, than where the 

 plant is grown for the purpose of producing seeds, as in wheat or peas; because 

 the quantity of the first foliage will be greater in respect to number; and the 

 central parts of the t;ussocks, as is often seen in wheat and peas, when sown too 

 thick, will rise two or three inches higher in their contest for light and air, like 

 the trees of thick planted woods; and will hence produce a forwarder pasture as 

 well as a more copious one. 



Poor land, or even land of a middling quality, when newly laid down with 

 good seeds as above, will keep more than double the stock that it did before, or 

 will do in six or eight years after; because the seeds degenerates, and the pasture 

 returns to its original state. Hence the necessity of taking up to plough, and of 

 laying down such land with seeds alternately; viz. light and poor soils every 

 third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth year, &c. and clayey soils every 

 ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, or fourteenth year. Or to restore the 

 sward by dunging, scarifying, seeding, dressing, and rolling it, &c. 



But gentlemen of landed property are so afraid of the plough, that they 

 suffer their pasture land to be managed with a great disadvantage to themselves, 

 their tenants, and the nation. It is the abuse, and not the use of the plough that 

 they ought to be afraid of. 



When a piece of land is to be improved. What is the means ? The plough. 

 Let no man then be afraid of this most useful of all instruments. 



Pasture land managed as above, will maintain one-fourth more stock upon 

 an average than it did before, (which surplus would make the produce equal the 

 consumption of butcher's meat, and keep the price within the ability of the poor 

 to purchase it.) And if the grass is kept in a young succulent state by feeding it 



