294. 0/ L u s e r n e. Chap. XIIL 



Lufeme in Grafs is much fweeter than St. Foin, 

 or any other artificial or natural Grafs. This, when 

 ho'd, may be given to Cattle cut green, for Six 

 Months ; but then Care muft be taken to (a) prevent 

 their Swelling by its Lufcioufnefs, and not to give 

 them too much at once, until they be accuflom'd to 

 it. 



The Quantities of LuferneSeed annually imported^ 

 and fown without Succefs, not dilcouraging People 

 from continuing its Importation, fhews there is more 

 need of a fuccefsful Way of Planting, than recom- 

 mending it in England, 



I fhall take Notice of fome of the Rcafons why I 

 conclude there is no Hope of making any Improve- 

 ment by planting it in England* in any manner prac- 

 tis'd by the Antients or Moderns. 



I wonder how any one mould attempt to plant it 

 here, who has feen in Columella^ and other Authors, 

 the Defcription of the manner the old Romans plant- 

 ed it in. They chofe out the very beft Land, that 

 was both pinguis and putris ; they dung'd and till'd 

 it to the greateft Perfection, and laid it out in Beds, 

 as we do for Onions or Afparagns -, they fow'd it 



(a) The Swelling of Cattle by eating too much green Lufeme, 

 Clover, or Turnep-leaves, happens only to fuch as chew the 

 Cud, becaufe they fvvailow more in lefs Time than other Cattle 

 do ; and a large Quantity of fuch lufcious Greens being iwal- 

 -low'd by a Beail, fermenting to a great Degree, heats and ranges 

 the internal Air, which by its Spring becoming too flrong for 

 that Column of the Atmofphere that enters at the Trachea, it 

 prefles the Lungs againft the Thorax \o clofely, that the Weight 

 of the external Column is not of Force to open their Veficles, 

 and then the Circulation of the Blood is Itopt, and the Bead is 

 fir angled. 



■ Moll Farmers know how to prevent the Swelling, fo that now- 

 adays it feldom happens ; but when it does, there is an erTeftuai 

 way of curing it, if taken in Time : They cut a Hole into the 

 Maw near the Back in a proper manner, whereat the rarified Air 

 rallies out, and the Lungs again perform their Action of Re-- 

 fpiration. ' 



very 



