Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, first edition - Volume I, A-B.pdf/93

 65 A G R I C U L T U R E. in another field; and if the tranfplaming of this grafs fucceeds as w' d l as the tranfplanting of lucern has done Of the Culture of St-Foin. with Mr Lunin de Chateauvieux, the trouble and exwill be fufficiently recompenfed by the largenefs of The writers on agriculture reckon this grafs prefer- pence crops. In tranfplantiog, it is necefiaty to cut off great able to clover in many refpeds: They fay, that it pro- the part of the long tap-root: this will prevent it from driduces a larger crop; that it does not hurt cattle when king very deep into the foil, and make it pudi out large eaten green; that it makes better hay ; that it continues roots in a doping direftion from the cut end of the tapfour times longer in the ground ; and that it will grow root. St-foin managed in this manner, will thrive even on land that will bear no other crop. Thefe are great on diallow land that fias a Wet bottom, provided it be not advantages: But, as we have fo little of that kind of with plants. grafs in Scotland, it cannot be expefted that any direc- overdoeked tions can be given concerning the manner of cultivating Whoever inclines to try the culture of this grafs in it, founded Upon experience. We mud therefore confine Scotland, Ihould take great pains in preparing the 'land, ourfelves to fuch facts as are mentioned by authors of the and making it as free from weeds as pofiible. bed credit. St-foin has a very long tap-root, which is able to Of the Culture of Lucern. pierce very hard earthf The roots grow very large, and The writers on agriculture, ancient as well as mothe larger they are, they penetrate to the greater depth; and hence it may be concluded, that this grafs, when it dern, bedow the highed encomiums upon this grafs, as thrives well, receives a great part of- its nourifliment affording excellent hay, and producing very large crops. from below dieJiaple of the foil: of courfe, a deep dry foil Lucern remains at lead ten or twelve years in the gr#ind, is bed for the culture of St-foin. When plants draw and produces about eight tons of hay upon the Scots their, nourilhment from that part of the foil that is near acre. There is but little of it cultivated in Scotland. the furface, it is not of much confequence whether their^ However, it has been tried in feveral parts of this counnumber be great or fmall. But the cafe is very different try; and it is found, that, when the feed is good, it when the plants receive their food, not only near, but comes up very well, and dands the winter-frod. But alfo deep below the furface. Befides, plants that fhoot the chief thing that prevented this grafs frorh being more their roots deep are often fupplied with moidure, when ufed in this country, is the difficulty of keeping the foil open, and free from weeds. In a few years the furface thofe near the furface are parched with drought. To render the plants of St-foin vigorous, it is necef- becomes fo hard, and the turf fo drong, that it dedroysJ fary that they be fbwn thin. The bed method of doing the lucern before the plants have arrived at their greateft this is by a drill; becaufe, when fown in this manner, perfection: fo that we cannot hope to cultivate lucern not only the weeds, but alfo the fupernumerary plants, with fuccefs, unlefs we fall upon fome method of decan eafiiy be removed. It is feveral years -before St-foin droying the natural grafs, and prevent the furface from comes to its full drength ; and the number of plants fuf- becoming hard and impenetrable. This cannot be done ficient to dock a field, while in this imperfecd date, will effectually by any other means than horfe-hoeing. Thi$ make but a poor crop for the fird year or two. It is method was fird propofed by Mr Tull, and afterwards therefore necefl'ary that it be fown in fuch -a manner pradtfed fuccefsfully by M. de Chateauvieux near Geneva; as to make it eafy to take up plants in fuch numbers, and It may be of ufe therefore to give ^ view of that gem* in fuch' order, as always to leave in the field the proper tleman’s method of cultivating lucern. number in their proper,places. This can only be dona Pie does not mention any thing particular as to the with propriety, by fowing the plants in rows by a drill. manner of preparing the land; but only obferves in geSupponng a field to be drilled in rows at ten inches di- neral, that no pains ihould be fparedin preparing it. He dance,. the partitions may be hand-hoed, and the rows tried the fowing of lucern both in rows upon the beds dreffed in fuch a mannpr as to le&ve a proper number of where it was intended to dand, and likewife the fowing plants. In this fituation the field may remain two years; it in a nurfery, and afterwards tranfplarrting it into the then one fourth of the rows may be taken out in pairs, beds prepared for it. He prefers tranfplanting; becaufe, in fuch a manner as to make the beds of fifty inches, when tranfplanted, part of the tap-root is cut off, and with fix rows in each, and intervals of thirty inches, the plant (hoots out a number of lateral branches front which may be ploughed. Next year, another fourth of the cut part of the root, which makes it fpread its roots the rows may be taken out in the fame manner, fo as to nearer the furface, atid confequently renders it more eafiiy leave double rows with partitions of ten inches, and in-' cultivated-: befides, this circumdance adapts it to a dialtervals of thirty: All of which may be hoed at once or low foil, in which, if left in its natural date, it would alternately, as it may be found mod-convenient. not grow. The'great quantity of this grafs which the writers oft The tranfplanting of lucenn is attended with many adthis iubjett a*fure us may be raifed upon an acre, and the vantages. The land may be prepared in the fummer for excellency and great value of the hay made of it, Ihould receiving the plants from the niirlery in autumn; by which induce farmers to make a complete trial of it, and even means the field mud be in a much better fituation than if to ufe the fpade in place of the hoe, dr hoe-plough, if the feed had been fown upon it in the fpring. By tranfneceflary. the rows can be made more regular, and the The plants taken up from a field of St-foin may be fet planting, intended didances more exactly obferved; and confeVol. I. No. 3. 3 R quently