CLOVER. 263 



In some cases, when his seeds fail, he lets his two 

 years layer remain three, breaking up the failing land for 

 other crops : and he remarks, that the fields wliicii are thus 

 left three, and, even in some fewjnstances, four, instead 

 of two years, he breaks up with a much better prospect of 

 success, than if they had been laid only the usual time. 



Time of sGiJcin^. — Mr. PuRDis, of Eggmore, was re- 

 commended by a friend, whose management he had seen 

 and approved, to sow his seeds at twice: half of each sort 

 (white and red clover, and ray), at the time of sowing 

 barley ; and the other half before the rollers in going over 

 the young crop : and this praflice he intends to pursue in 

 future. He thinks it will give them a better chance of 

 succeeding. He has 600 acres of seeds : he sows the great 

 quantity of 141b. an acre of white clover, 81b. of red, and 

 one bushel of ray-grass. The last he esteems much in 

 spring ; and when an observation was made against it, said, 

 that in April and Alay he had 3000 sheep that found the 

 excellence of it. 



In 1784, registering the husbandry of the spirited cul- 

 tivator of Holkham, it is remarked, that " those who have 

 been conversant in the husbandry of old improved coun- 

 tries, know that a common complaint is the failure of red 

 clover. It has been sown so repeatedly, that the land is 

 said to be surfeited with it. In the same distrifl it comes 

 to nothing on the old improved lands, yet yields immense 

 crops on any accidental spot, where never, or rarely 

 sown before." The observation is so commoii, that no 

 doubt can remain of the fadt ; however, it may be attribut- 

 ed to certain methods in management pursued in this coun- 

 ty. Pease and tares had been tried as substitutes, but they 

 are tillage crops, and what these thin soils, harassed wiiji 

 llie plough, want, is rest. Mr. Coke turned his views to a 

 ii^'erent and better quarter, to other artificial grasses, 



s 4 whitli 



