GRASSES. 137 



rear, unless it be a crop of rank and useless weeds. 

 And he that misses of the lirst year''s crop, loses much, 

 as the longer the land lies, the more compact, or bound, 

 it will become, and produce the smaller crops. 



It cannot be doubted, that if a third part of the land, 

 now under tillage, were properly laid down in grass, for 

 the purpose of feeding stock, it would be of the greatest 

 benetit both to the farmer and the public, as the remain- 

 der would be better manured, more easily cultivated, and 

 would produce as much for consumption, as the whole 

 now does. The failure of new crops of grass, is in a 

 great measure owing to a deficiency of seed, or to the 

 land being sown, when out of condition, and without an 

 adequate supply of manure ; and many farmers have, in 

 these circumstances, continued their fields under a 

 course of planting, to their own impoverishment, and 

 the loss of the public. Whereas improved rotations, 

 and in particular, a greater number of green crops, 

 would enrich any poor or exhausted arable land. 



The advantages to be derived from the alternate, or 

 convertible husbandry, cannot be too much dwelt on. 

 Mr. Rob'jins of this state, in his address, very justly ob- 

 serves, that a farm best fitted for the convertible hus- 

 bandry — convertible from grass to grain, and from grain 

 to grass, is the most profitable farm ; and hence the 

 value of all those means by which the farm is brought 

 into this desirable state. None but those who have tried 

 it, can be fully aware of the vast improvement effected 

 by laying down old ploughed land into grass, as well as 

 converting pasture and meadow lands into arable. Un- 

 der that system, when judiciously conducted, the crops 

 are always abundant, and the soil is kept in a constant 

 state of increasing fertility. 



The chief food of cattle consisting of grasses, their 

 importance is as obvious as it is great, and the distin- 

 guishing and selecting them cannot be too fully attended 

 to. By this care the best grasses, and in tlie greatest 

 abundance that the land admits of, are secured ; while, 

 for want of this attention, pastures and meadows are 

 either filled with weeds, or bad and inappropriate grass- 

 es. It would require a large volume to describe all tl? 

 kinds of grass which are and might be cultivated in the 

 United States. It is said, that there are in all 215 grasses 

 13 



