94 HORTICULtURAt TOUU. 



of Europe. When a crop of seed is wished for, the field 



is only once cut for green food to cows, and the second 

 growth is allowed to come to maturity. In favourable sea- 

 sons, the seed is often produced in Scotland; but it has 

 generally been found difficult to separate it from the husk, 

 owing to the want of a proper machine for the purpose, 

 which, however, might easily be procured. In such districts 

 as East Lothian, and the Carses of Gowrie and Falkirk, the 

 farmers might, very generally, save their own clover-seed, 

 merely by railing off with a moveable fence, and reserving 

 uncut, an eighth or a tenth of an acre of the first crop ; or, if 

 the second crop is thought to be more prolific in heads, and 

 firmer in the stalk, by cutting the first crop from that por- 

 tion of the field three weeks earlier than usual *. 



Notwithstanding the distance at which we had now left 

 the sea, Plantago coronopus, or bucks-horn plantain, which 

 with us is a maritime plant, appeared on the sides of the 

 pathways. This, it may be noticed, is regarded on the 

 Continent as one of the small salad herbs, although it is en- 

 tirely neglected by us. Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus), water- 

 violet (Hottonia palustris), and FrogVbit (Hydrocharis 

 morsus-rana?), plants not found in Scotland, and not very 

 general in England, abounded in almost all the ditches; 

 the latter only was in flower. 



• While this sheet is in the press, we have had an opportunity of exa- 

 mining a sample of broad clover-seed, saved from a second crop, by. Messrs 

 Miller, at Ncwhouse, near North Berwick, Haddingtonshire, equal in quali- 

 ty to any imported .--ecd ; the past season (1819) having been very favourable 

 (or the purpose. On she v. ing the sample to eminent nurserymen and seeds- 

 iii >■'.. at I dinburgh, who deal very extensively in the article, they regarded 

 KCeUeM Dutch seed, and declared that it was more plump and shining 

 than any which they had lately seen. Instead of mowing and thrashing the 

 whole straw, women and children were employed by Messrs Miller to pluck 

 the brown or ri|X- heads, and one person was able thus to collect about 8 lb. 

 of Med daily. 



