i 7 2 Of St. F o i n. Chap. XII. 



wild without fowing or Tillage, upon the Calabrian 

 Hills near Croto : It makes there fuch a defpicable Ap- 

 pearance, that one would wonder how any body 

 ihould have taken it in their Head to propagate To 

 unpromifing a Plant -, and yet there has fcarce been an 

 Exotic brought to England in this or the laft Age, 

 capable of making a greater or more general Improve- 

 ment, were it duly cultivated. 



Some think the Cyiijus would exceed it ; but I am 

 afraid the Labour of {hearing thofe Shrubs by the 

 Hands of Englijh Servants, would coil too much of 

 its Profit. 



Luferne^ requiring more Culture, and being much 

 more difficult to be fitted with a proper Soil, never 

 can be fo general as Stt Foin. 



But now let us confider the bell Methods of or- 

 dering St. Foin for Hay and Seed. The Profit of St. 

 Foin Fields, arifing from either of theie Ways, is a 

 great Advantage to their Owner, above that of na- 

 natural Meadows; for, if Meadow-hay cannot have 

 good Weather to be cut in its Seafon, it can ferve for 

 little other Ufe than as Dung, and yet the Expence 

 of mowing it, and carrying it off muff not be omitted. 

 But if there be not Weather to cut St. Foin before 

 blofToming, we may expect it till in Flower, or may 

 ftay till theBloffoms are off; and if it ftill rain on, 

 may Hand for Seed, and turn to as good Account as 

 any of the former : So that it has Four Chances to 

 One of the Meadow. 



The elevated, but not mountainous, Situation of 

 the dry Land whereon St. Foin is moflly planted, 

 renders it fo commodious for making of Hay, that it 

 efcapes there the Injury of Weather, when Hay in 

 low Meadows is utterly fpoil'd. 



On the high Ground the Wind will dry more in 

 an Hour, than on the Meadows in a whole Day. 

 The Sun too has a more benign Influence above, and 

 fends off the Dew about Tv/o Hours earlier in the 



Morning, 



