Chap. XIII. O/Lusernf, . 197 



But as that natural Grafs increafes, the Crops of 

 Luferne are proportionably diminifh'd : And tho' 

 Luferne is faid to laft Ten or Twelve Years ; yet it 

 is in Perfection only for a very few Years. WhiJftit 

 is at belt on their richeft Land, and in a kind Sum- 

 mer, they have at Seven Crops Ten Tuns to an Acre, 

 as I have computed them from the Relation of fome 

 of the Inhabitants of Pezenas. This was extraordi- 

 nary : for I obferv'd, that mod of their common 

 Crops made a very thin Swarth. 



When the Ground begins to be turffy and hard, 

 many of the Luferne-plants die, and the reft fend up 

 very few Stalks : The People know this is the De- 

 ftruclion of it, and therefore I have ken fome of them, 

 in that Cafe, half-plow it, thinking thereby to deftroy 

 the Turf: This does for a time much ftrengthen the 

 Luferne-plants ; but it io much ftrengthens the Grafs 

 alfo, that the Turf grows the ftronger; and then 

 there is no Remedy but to plow it up, make the 

 Ground clean, and replant it. 



In more Northern Climates, where it rains oftener, 

 the Ground fooner becomes hard •, and in the Land 

 otherwife moft proper for Luferne, the Grafs grows 

 infinitely fafter, and will be as ftrong a Turf in Two 

 Years, as in the hot Countries in Ten. Upon this 

 Account, about Paris, even near the Walls, they 

 plow up Luferne, and fow St. Foin in its room, 

 becaufe that endures Grafs and hard Ground better, 

 tho' it brings but One Crop a Year, or Two ac 

 moft. 



And in many Places in Franche Comte and Switzer- 

 land ^ I have (een Luferne in the Corners of Vineyards, 

 not above Two or Three Perches together, which 

 they will at any Expence have to cure their Horfes 

 when fick ; fince they cannot obtain, by their Culture, 

 Quantities fufrlcient to maintain them as their ordina- 

 ry Food, there being too much Rain, and too little 



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