154 Eidogium on William West, 



green grass* took their place, and only required a repe- 

 tition of the practice, which caused its appearance, to in- 

 sure its continuance ; and for many years he exhibited 

 the only instance in the county, of an intire sward of 

 green grass upon an upland farm, and of fields which 

 had not been disturbed by a plough for upwards of 

 thirty years. 



The alteration of the farming system of William 

 West, from the random plans of the country, did not 

 fail to be noticed by his neighbours, and in some of 

 them to excite animadversions ; and as in every instance 

 of deviation from prevalent customs or practices, pre- 

 dictions of failure without hesitation, and with great 

 confidence were generally made. The event however, 

 proved the incorrectness of their predictions. In the 

 short space of three years, his supply of provender was 

 so great as to enable him to sell hay to a farmer who 

 possessed a much larger tract of land than his own, and 

 who had indulged himself most in objections upon 

 " the town-man's farming." The people of the vicinity 

 saw with astonishment, field after field, covered with 

 heavy pasture, which formerly were distinguished by 

 the great supply to the young people of fine blackber- 

 ries ; and in a few yccirs, they were surprised to see 

 40 head of cattle brought to a farm to graze, which had 

 scarcely ever afforded a bare support to ten head before ; 

 but they wondered still more when those cattle were 

 ^successively led to the capital by the butcher, and more- 

 over were informed, that a large dairy and farming stock 

 were supported duriiig the same season. Such a change 



* Poa viridis of Dr. JMuhlenbcrg. 



