Chap.Xlt. Of St. F o i n. i 79 



Seed given to Horfes, will nourifh them as much as 

 Four Bufhels of Oats. When well order'd, it is fo 

 fweet, that moil Sorts of Cattle are greedy of it. I 

 never knew fo much of it given to Hogs, as to make 

 them become fat Bacon ; but I have known Hogs 

 made very good Pork with it, for an Experiment ; 

 and being valued at the Beginning of their feeding, 

 and the Pork by the Score when the Hogs were kill'd, 

 which, computed with the Quantity of Seed they eat, 

 did not amount to near the Value of the fame Seed 

 fold for fowing; that being Three Shillings^ Bufhel, 

 and the Profit made by giving it to the Hogs was but 

 Two Shillings a Bufhel. 



The Goodnefs of the Seed, and of the Hay out of 

 which it is threfh'd, depends very much upon the 

 manner of ordering them. 



This threfh'd Hay, when not damaged by wetWea- 

 ther, has been found more nourifhing to Horfes than 

 coarfe Water-meadow Hay -, and, when 'tis cut fmall 

 by an Engine, is good Food for Cattle, and much 

 better than Chaff of Corn. 



It requires fome Experience in it, to know the moll 

 proper Degree of Ripenefs, at which the feeded St. 

 Ford ought to be cut ; for the Seed is never all ripe 

 together -, fome Ears bloflbm before others -, every 

 Ear begins blcffoming at the lower Part of it, and fo 

 continues gradually to do upward for many Days ; 

 and before the Flower is gone off the Top, the Bot- 

 tom of the Ear has almoft fiU'd the Seeds that grow 

 there •, fo that if we mould defer cutting until the top 

 Seeds are quite ripe, the lower, which are the beft, 

 would ihed, and be loft. 



The beft time to cut is, when the greateft Part of 

 the Seed is well fill'd , the firft-blown ripe, and the 

 la ft blown beginning to be full. 



The natural Colour of the Kernel, which is the 

 real Seed, is grey or bluiih when ripe ; and the Hufk, 

 which contains the Seed is, when ripe> of a brownilh 



N 2 Colour, 



