60 



nance to such immense numbers of cattle, in many coun- 

 tries the sole support of the human species, it may be 

 deemed rash to trust the maintenance of these domesticated 

 animals, in so many cases our sole resource for our own 

 food, to the precarious supply of provisions spontaneously 

 afforded by unassisted nature. 



It seems also to imply great want of ingenuity in those 

 concerned in agricultural speculations, that they have not 

 devised means of improving our pastures, to enable them 

 to supply the increasing demands upon them, made neces- 

 sary for an increasing population. 



Such seems to be the opinion of my friend Sir Hum- 

 phry Davy, who complains, that very little attention 

 " has been paid to the nature of the grasses best adapted 

 " to permanent pasture ; perhaps pastures superior to the 

 " natural ones, may be made by selecting due proportions 

 " of those suited to the soil." 



My able friend is not satisfied with mere complaint; in 

 the true philosophical style, he encounters the question 

 a prior i, and exerts his cLeiuical skill to investigate the 

 characters and properties of the several grasses, from 

 which he may Ibrm a reasonable judgment of those that 

 are most likely to afford the best pasture to our cattle. 



This was the object in view, when the laborious suite 

 of experiments was instituted at WoBURN by the noble 

 proprietor, and in which this eminent chemist so fortu- 

 nately joined ; — yet with such associates, with the pa- 

 tronage, the liberality, and the great agricultural skill of 

 the Duke of Bedford, the experience and persevering 

 diligence of Mr. SinC/LAIR, it is mortifying to give up a 

 pursuit so strenuously sustained. 



Nature is against us, and has rigidly limited the powers 

 of man, and will not suffer him to interfere in the formation 

 of <i permanent sole of grass. 



