Chap. XII. Of St. Foik. i 73 



Morning, and holds it up as much longer in the E- 

 vening. By thefe Advantages the St. Foin has the 

 more Time to dry, and is made with half the Expence 

 of Meadow-hay. 



But before the Manner of making it be defcrib'd, 

 the proper Time of cutting it ought to be determin'd ; 

 and upon that depend the Degrees of its Excellence 

 f befides upon the Weather, which is not in our 

 Power) 5 for tho' all Sorts of this Hay, if well made, 

 be good, yet there is a vail Difference and Variety in 

 them. 



The feveral Sorts may be principally diftinguifh'd 

 by the following Terms ; viz. Firft, The Virgin. 

 Secondly, The Blojfonfd. Thirdly, The Full-grown. 

 And, Fourthly, The Tbreflfd Hay, 



The Firft of thefe is belt of all, beyond Compari- 

 fon ; and (except Luferne) has not in the World its 

 Equal. This muft be cut before the Bloffoms appear ; 

 For when itftands till full-blown, the moftfpirituous, 

 volatile, and nourifhing Parts of its Juices are fpent 

 on the next Generation ; and this being done all at 

 once, the Sap is much depauperated, and the St. Foin 

 can never recover that Richnefs it had in its Virgin 

 State. And tho', when in BlofTom, it be literally in 

 the Flower of its Age, 'tis really in the Declenjion of 

 it. If it be faid, that what is not in the Stalk is gone 

 into the Flower, 'tis a Miftake ; becaufe much the 

 greateft Part of its Quinteffence perfpires thence into 

 the Atmofphere. 



And moreover. That all Vegetables are, in fome 

 Degree, weaken'd by the Action of continuing their 

 Kind, may be inferr'd from thofe Plants which will 

 live feveral Years, if not fuffer'd to blofTom; but, 

 whenever they bloiTom, it caufes their Death, tho* 

 in the firft Year of their Life. For in Plants (as Dr. 

 Willis obferves in Animals) Nature is more folicitous 

 to continue the Species, than for the Benefit of the 

 Individual. 



4 Part 



