M E 



M E 



Boufe. In Summer the Plants mud 

 be frequently watered in dry \V Ga- 

 ther, and kept clear from Weeds, 

 which is all the Culture they re- 

 quire. 



The eleventh Sort, which is culti- 

 vated in the open Fields in feveral 

 Parts of Europe, is an Inhabitant 

 of this Kingdom ; growing wild 

 by the Sides of Paths, and on arable 

 Land, in great Plenty every-where 

 near Londqn ; and if the Seeds are 

 permitted to fcatter, there will be a 

 Supply of Plants to ftock the 

 Ground ; fo that it often becomes 

 a very troublefome Weed in Gar- 

 dens, and is difficult to extirpate af- 

 ter it hath gotten Pofleflion. 



The Seeds of this Plant arc fown 

 in the Spiing, either alone, or with 

 Barley; the latter of which I fnouid 

 recommend ; for as this is a low 

 trailing Plant, it will not injure the 

 Barley, which will get forward 

 before thefe Pjants come up ; and 

 if there doth not arife a great 

 Crop of the Plant, yet being per- 

 mitted to ftand until the Barley is 

 ripe, the Seeds of it will be ripe, 

 and moll of it fcattered, by that 

 - time ; and after the Corn is taken 

 off, the Rains in Autumn will foon 

 bring up the Plants, which will 

 fioorifh all the Winter ; and the 

 Spring following will afford an ear- 

 ly Feed for Cattle. 



Where this Plant is fown by itfelf, 

 itmu-it not be fed or mow'd, until 

 the Seeds are ripe ; for as it is an 

 annual Plant, fo where it is eaten, 

 or cut down, the Roots will penfli; 

 and if there is not a Supply of 

 young Plants to fucceed them, the 

 Crop will be deltroyed in oue Sea- 

 fon. Indeed, as thefe Plants begin 

 to flower very young, and near their 

 Roots, fo, before the Seeds are form- 

 ed at the Extremity of the Shoots, 

 thofe produced near the Root will 



be ripe and fcattered, from Whence 

 young Plants will come up, and fup- 

 ply the Crop ; which has deceived 

 lome Perfons, who have thought 

 this Plant will abide two or three 

 Years, and produce feveral Crops 

 from the fame Root ; which is a 

 great Miflake, for the Root periflies 

 a.mually. But as the Plants produce 

 fuch Quantities of Seeds at almolr, 

 every Joint of the Stalks, itisalmoft 

 impoflible to deitroy the Crop total- • 

 ly, if the Plants are permitted to 

 grow to any Size, before they are 

 ted or cut down. 



The Seeds of this Plant being 

 fmailer than CI overfeeds, a leis 

 Quantity will fow an Acre. If it 

 is fown by itfelf, there mould be 

 ten Pounds allowed to an Acre ; but 

 if it is fown with Barley, fix Pounds 

 will be fufneient. Wnen it is fown 

 with Barley, the Barley mould be 

 hril fown and harrow'd ; and then • 

 trie Seeds of this mould be fowed, 

 and ths Land rolled, which will 

 bury this Seed deep enough. 



1 his Plant is frequently con- 

 founded by the Farmers, and other 

 Perfons who are ignorant in Botany, 

 with the Hop trefoil ; the Seeds of 

 this being often intermixed with 

 thofe : there are fome who are a 

 little more curious, that diflinguiih 

 this by the Name of black Seeds ; 

 yet thefe mix the Seeds of both 

 together. 



Tnere is not a worfe W^eed in 

 Corn land than the common Me- 

 lilot, which in fome Parts of Cam- 

 bridgejhire and Sujfolk infeits moll 

 of trie Fields : and as the Seeds of 

 this Plant are ripe by the time of 

 Harveit, the Plant being cut with 

 the Wheat ; when that is threfhed 

 out, tiie Seeds of the Melilot 

 are intermixed with the Corn ; fo | 

 that the Bread which is made with 

 the Flour hath a itrong Taile of.' 



