172 



As the haymakers were little likely to make the discovery 

 of the great value florin is capable of affording to them, 

 though so abundantly dispersed through their meadows ; — 

 the remaining personage interested in the value of grassy 

 produce ( the Grazier )f is still less likely to make the dis- 

 covery, as in no instance does it ever obtrude itself upon 

 him ; for the bite of his cattle nips the nascent stolones, and 

 should they by accidental protection escape the teeth of 

 his cattle, the feet of the beasts would soon destroy them. 



The grazier even has often before his eyes strong evi- 

 dence that his cattle will not eat florin stolones, as solitary 

 strings frequently remain in his pasture grounds untouched 

 by the cattle feeding about them. 



I shall state a fact: — Examining THE Marquis of 

 Hertford's meadows on the edge of Loughneagh, with 

 another object in view ; I was joined by some of his lord- 

 ship's tenants who knew I was directing the cultivation 

 of florin for the Marquis ; — one of these pointed out to me 

 several stolones on the meadow untouched by the cattle 

 grazing among them, and asked me if I was recommending 

 the cultivation of a grass which it appeared the cattle 

 would not eat ? I begged he would let us flnish our bu- 

 siness, and, as we walked about, that he and his friends 

 would pick up such stolones as they saw : a large bundle 

 was thus gathered, and by my directions tendered to the 

 flrst cattle we found, who devoured it greedily, showing a 

 strong desire for more. 



The fact is, cattle are not furnished with organs adapted 

 to enable them to pick up solitary stolones ; this would re- 

 quire something like the bill of a bird : but whenever these 

 stolones are gathered or severed, all sorts of cattle show 

 a marked predilection for them. 



Since then the only persons interested in, and intimately 

 acquainted with, the grassy produce of our surface, to wit 



