1^6 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1 696-7. 



red hair that covered the sides and part of the back; ddddddd the hard and 

 sharp prickles interspersed among the hair. 



Fig. 7j eeeee the skin of the belly; ffff several incisures resembling joints 

 towards the tail ; ggggg darker spots in the skin of the belly ; hhhhh the feet 

 on each side the belly ; iiiii the fins with their hairy fringe behind the feet ; 

 kk the large mouth opened wide. 



On several Plants which may he usejully cultivated for producing Grass for Hay. 

 ■ . By Dr. Martin Lister. N° 223, p. 4 J 2, 



For the improvement of sandy light ground, or any clay well sanded, I 

 recommend upon experience vicia multiflora nemorensis perennis sive dumeto- 

 rum, J. B, It has these qualitications, besides those mentioned in the title of 

 J. Bauhine, (viz. of its being perennial, thriving even in woods and among 

 bushes, and being of the pulse or pea-kind,) that it shoots 1000 roots, far and 

 wide, and spreads itself under ground like quick grass ; above ground it is so 

 rampant, that it will climb 3 yards, and will preserve itself in spite of weeds 

 or drought. It may be either sown or planted. 



A recommendation is next given of improving sandy land, by mixing clay 

 with the sand. This sandy ground, unless clayed, will bear nothing but rye, 

 whatever other manure or lime your compost be : but once clayed, it will bear 

 oats, barley, peas, &c. 



Agriculture may be considerably advanced by the great choice of plants, 

 even of those of our own growth of the pulse kind, of which besides what I 

 mentioned before, this list I recommend to industrious gentlemen who have 

 leisure in the country. 



Lathyrus major latifolius. Ger. — Lathyrus luteus sylvestris dumetorum. J. B. 

 — Astragalus sylvaticus. Ger. — Vicia sylvestris semine rotundo nigro. C. B. 

 — Orobus sylvaticus nostras. C. B. P. in Append. — Vicia sylvatica multiflora 

 maxima. P. B. 



I also recommend, as substitutes for hemp and flax, of our English growth, 

 viz. perennial plants: linum sylvestre angustifolium. J. B. — Linum sylvestre 

 fioribus coeruleis. Ger. — Corona fratrum, of the thistle kind. This plant is 

 generally a yard tall ; its fibres are exceedingly tough and strong, beyond any I 

 ever tried ; it puts forth many of these tall and very thick stalks yearlv ; it 

 naturally grows to this bulk in most barren soils, as the dry wolds and liigh 

 pastures in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. 



It is probable, that by tillage, even harsh plants may be improved and 

 brought to kinder food : the same asparagus which we eat, grows wild in the 



