554 
HUSBANDRY. 
only a very fcanty produbl either in herbage or hay. 
And in fuch as are of the better and more fertile kinds, 
the quantity of crop is incomparably abundant. Its cul¬ 
ture ought, therefore, to be extended to all thofe exten- 
five traf'ts of lands in different parts of the kingdom that 
afford little or nothing under other fyftems of lrafbandry 
or modes of cropping, and which are not adapted to the 
growth of clovers. This is particularly defirable, as it is 
an artificial grafs that fucceeds well in the ordinary.me¬ 
thods of fpwihg, without the trouble or expence of either 
the drill or the hoe. It feems extremely probable, from 
different trials that have been made with this plant, that 
it is not by any means fo confined in refpeft to foil as 
has been generally fuppofed, though there can be little 
doubt but that it anfwers beft on thofe of the calcareous 
and loamy kinds. On fuch as have occafionally applica¬ 
tions of lime, it has been known to fucceed in a perfect 
manner.-—For further information on the culture and va¬ 
lue of fainttoin, fee the article Hedysarum onobrichis, 
vol. ix. p. 305. 
Lucerne is an artificial-grafs, that is often cultivated 
with mu h profit and advantage, as affording a large pro¬ 
duct of fucculent green food, for the fupport of different 
forts of ftock, and likewife of hay for the winter-fodder 
of horfes, or other cattle. The foils molt fuitable to the 
culture of it are thole of the more deep,, rich, and drier 
kinds, as thofe of the found, mellow, loamy, gravelly, and 
fancy, ueicriptions ; but on fuch as are retentive of moif- 
ture it fhouid not be attempted, as the roots are liable to 
be destroyed by the Stagnation of water about them. 
Weeping gravelly lands, and all fuchas are not well drained, 
are of courfe improper for this fort of culture, It is fup¬ 
pofed by feme, that, for the fuccefsful cultivation of this 
crop, it is neeeffary that there fliould be a fubftratum of 
fuch a fort as is capable of flopping the defeent of the 
roots at a certain depth, in order to prevent their ex- 
liauiling themfelves ; but the depth of the mould, in this 
cafe, fliould be confiderably greater than for that of any 
other grafs, a foot and a half or two feet being moftly re¬ 
quisite. 
In the preparation of the land, the foil fliould always be 
brought into as fine a condition of mould as poflible. 
This may be effected by repeated ploughing and harrow¬ 
ing, and the previous growth of fuch crops of the green 
kind as have a tendency to clean and render the land 
more fine and mellow. In this intention, fome advife 
the taking of two crops of turnips, carrots, or cabbages, 
either in fucceflion or alternating with each other ; the 
turnips, in the heavier loams, being eaten off upon the 
land in the fecond autumn, before it is ploughed up. In 
either of thefe cafes, from the hoeing and conftant cul¬ 
ture which afeneceflary while the crops are upon the land, 
it will be left in a fuitable flate of cleannefs and friability. 
Others recommend fallowing as a better praclice, the 
root-weeds of every kind being carefully pricked out in 
the different ploughings and harrowings. From the great 
length of time that the grpund muft remain unemployed 
in this mode of preparation, it is probably, however, only 
capable of being praftifed with advantage where the lands 
are hea-vy and full of weeds. The proportion of feed 
muff be varied according to the nature of the land, and 
the manner in which the crop is to be cultivated. In 
the broadcaft method, which has been found very fuc- 
eefsful, from eighteen to twenty pounds may be proper, 
while in that of the drill it will be confiderably lefs, ac¬ 
cording to the diftances at which the rows are placed. 
In two-feet equidiftant rows the ufual allowance is about 
fix pounds; in thofe of eighteen inches, about eight 
nounds; in thofe of twelve inches, ten or twelve pounds'; 
and in nine-inch rows, which are by much the beft, from 
twelve to fixteen pounds may be nec.efliiry. 
The molt proper feafon for loving lucerne, is as early as 
can be done in the fpring-months. The latter end of 
March for the more fcuthern diftricts may be the molt 
proper period, and the beginning of the following month 
for thofe of the north. If the plants be intended to be 
transplanted out in the garden method, it will alfo be the 
beft practice to fow the feed-bed as early in the fpring as 
the frofts will admit, in order that they may be ftron«- 
and fit to fet out about Auguft. With regard to the 
mode of putting in the crop, it muft vary with the cir- 
cumftances of the foil, and the mode of after-manage¬ 
ment that can be adopted with the raoft convenience. 
Where much attention cannot be bellowed in the bufi- 
nefs of hoeing and keeping the crop clean, the beft me¬ 
thod is that of flowing the land broadcaft ; though in this 
method the crop may not laft fo long in the ground. But, 
in cafes where the crops are capable of being kept in a 
fufficiently clean condition by repeated hoe-culture, the 
drill may be more advilkble, efpecially at narrow diftances. 
The feed may be fown either alone or with grain-crops, 
in the fame manner as clover; each method has its advo¬ 
cates, and it is probable that they may both be ufeful un¬ 
der different circumftances, as in the deeper and more fer¬ 
tile fores of lands the firft may be the moil: beneficial me¬ 
thod, and in thofe of the lighter and lefs deep kinds the 
latter; alfo in the deep rich forts of land there may be 
lefs Iofs of time in procuring the green produce for the 
ufe of horfes or other forts of ftock, as well as the greater 
certainty of the crop fucceeding ; but in the.lighter and 
more porous foils, by being fown with com, the plants 
may be. better protected in their early growth, as well by 
the fhade as the moifture that will in that way be pre- 
ferved. Some indeed fpeak of its fuperior utility, on the 
ground of long experience, in its being better preferved 
from the fly. Wherever this mode is made ufe of, the 
grain fhouid however be fown thinner than is ufually the 
cafe, in proportion as the foils are more rich. Oats are 
preferable to barley for the purpofe, as being lefs liable 
to lodge. From five or fix pecks to three bufliels, fown 
as evenly as poflible, may be the beft proportions, the 
fmalieft quantity being neeeffary on the richeft foils. Af¬ 
ter the grain has been fown and harrowed properly in, the 
lucerne-feed fhouid be immediately fown by a regular even, 
caft over the fine furface, covering it in with a light feed- 
liarrow ; but it fliould not be too deeply covered in, two 
inches is fully fufficient. In the drill-method the fame 
fyftem fliould be followed, the lucerne-feed being drilled 
in, either lengthways or acrofs, at fuitable diftances, im¬ 
mediately after the corn has been fown. 
As this crop advances to maturity, much care and at¬ 
tention muft be employed in keeping it clean and free 
from weeds, and not allowing it to be too early fed. Af¬ 
ter the grain-crop has been removed, in the firft year, all 
forts of heavy ftock fliould be prevented from coming 
upon it. In a dry feafon, if there be occafion, the field 
may however be fed a little by calves and other light 
ftock, but they fhouid never be kept long upon the plants 
at one time. When the fecond cutting has been made in. 
the following year, if any grafs (hows itfelf, the land fnould 
be harrowed over in a moderate manner by a harrow which 
is not too heavy or too long in the tines, twice or more 
times in different directions. This bufinefs fliould be 
executed as foon in the early part of the lpring as the ftate 
of the ground will permit, as dry a period as poflible being 
taken for performing the work. In the fucceeding years 
two fuch harrowings may frequently be required, one in 
the early part of the fpring-ieafon, and the other in the 
clofe of the fummer. But in thefe cafes, efpecially where 
there is much grafs appearing, a heavier (ort of harrow 
fliould be fubltituted. Where the crops are thin and 
patchy, feed in proportion to the deficiencies fliould be 
fown over fuch places before the harrowings commence 
each time- In every cafe the roller fhouid be applied im¬ 
mediately after the operation has been performed, not only 
for the purpofe of preffmg the mould’ about the roots of 
the plants, but to render the furfaee perfectly level and fit 
for the feythe. 
When 
