Chap. XII. O/St. Foin. 150 



If you venture to plant it with the Drill, accord- 

 ing to the Method wherein I have always had the 

 beft Succefs ; let the Land be well prepared before 

 you plant it. The Seed, if not well ordered, will 

 very little of it grow ; therefore 'tis convenient to try 

 it in the manner mention'd in the Chapter of Hoeing \ 

 where are alfo Directions to find the proper Quantity 

 and Depth to plant it at : T have obferv'd, that the 

 Heads of thefe Seeds- are fo large, and their Necks 

 fo weak (b\ that if they lie much more than half an 

 Inch (c) deep, they are not able to rife through the 

 incumbent Mould ; or if they are not cover'd, they 

 will be malted (d). A Bufhel to an Acre is full twen- 

 ty Seeds to each fquare Foot, in all I try'd -, but there 

 is odds in the Largenefs of it, which makes fome 

 Difference in the Number. 



The word Seafons to plant it are the Beginning of 

 Winter, and in the Drought of Summer. The beft 

 Seafon is early in the Spring. 



'Tis the ftronger when planted alone, and when 

 no other Crop is fown with it (f). 



(b) The Kernel or Seed, being much fwollen in the Ground, 

 I call the Head : This, when it reaches above the Ground, opens 

 in the Middle, and is formed into the Two firft Leaves ; the Hufk 

 always remaining at the fame Depth at which it is cover'd ; The 

 String that paffes from the Hufk to the Head, is the Neck; 

 which, when by its too great Length 'tis unable to fupport the 

 Head till it reaches to the Air, rifes up, and doubles above it; 

 and when it does fo, the Head, being turn'd with its Top down- 

 wards, never can rife any higher, but there rots in the Ground. 



(c) In very light Land the Seed will come up from a greater 

 Depth ; but the moil fecure Way is, not to iufFer it to be cover'd 

 deep in any Land. 



(dj We fay it is malted, when it lies above-ground, and fends 

 out its Root, which is killed by the Air. And whether we plant 

 bad Seed that does not grow, or good Seed buried or malted, the 

 Confequence will be much the fame, and the Ground may be 

 equally underftock'd with Plants. 



( f ) The worft Crop that can be fown amongft St. Foin, is 

 Clover or Rye-Grafs j Barley or Oats continue but a little while 



to 



