124 On Plaister of Paris, 



racter of clover-hay is injured by the inordinate desire 

 of getting too heavy crops, which are never sweet nor 

 maturated ; and, at the root, the grass of such crops is 

 always feculent, and often rotten. The seller may gam 

 by two, three, and often more, tons to the acre at a cut- 

 ting ; but neither the buyer, nor the farmer who con- 

 sumes it, is equally benefitted. Horses reject, or suffer 

 by, such over-luxuriant crops ; and, being rank, coarse, 

 and often leafless, cattle waste a great proportion of 

 them. 



For milch- cows in winter, no other hay is equal to 

 good well cured clover. I have often tried the com- 

 parative merits, in this way, of clover and the best of 

 other hay. The complaint, that it wastes, and is injurious 

 to horses, is owing to its over luxuriance, and bad 

 curing ; and not to any unwholesome qualities, in the 

 plant. Every one of experience knows, that too heavy 

 crops of any grass, never turn out wholesome, sweet, 

 and profitable, in the consumption.* 



Mr. Noland's correspondents were Lev en Poxvell, 

 James Heaton^ Mahlon Taylor^ George Taverner^ Ber- 



^ The idea that clover (plaistered or not) more than other 

 grass, has a tendency to produce the running at the mouth 

 of horses or cattle is unfounded. See vol. 1, of agricultural 

 memoirs, pages 167, 8. I have seen on all grass grounds, in the 

 autumn, with a microscope, numberless red spiders^ very 

 small. Some say spreading hot lime kills them, and prevents 

 salivary defluxions, irom horses and cattle. I cannot ascer- 

 tain the cause of this unfortunate complaint. I have heard 

 many, but no satisfactory, accounts oi its origin, or remedy. 

 (Salt sometimes checks it ; and so does putting the horses, or 

 cattle, to dry forage, or grain, R» P« 



