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OF WESTMORELAND- 202

Iy rednced, and that the moſs is quite deſtroyed, the land is lefr to itſelf to graſs over. The firſt crop of hay is ne- ver either weighty or good in quality; the ſecond is ge- nerally very ſuperior in both theſe reſpeés to the firſt, and ſo favourable are the climate and the ſoil to the growth of graſs, that the third crop is often ſo abundant as to be let for two or three pounds per acre, and of a quality ſo excellent, that in ſeveral places cattle are fat- tened upon it in Winter for the markets of Lancaſter and Liverpool. But even theſe beſt crops are far inferior in point of value to thoſe that would be produced by the ſame fields, were their natural aptitude to grow graſs di- rected to the produdtion of clover and rye-graſs. The prejudice that prevails almoſt univerfally in Weſtmore= land againſt theſe artificial plants is a great obſtacle to the improvement of the huſbandry of the county, and muſt be overcome before the arable lands can be brought to that degree of cultivation of which they are ſuſceptible.

Tt is faid that hay made of clover and rye-graſs is much coarſer than that which is made of the natural grafles; and that theſe artificial plants giving place to the natural ones, periſh at the end of two or three years, and there- fore ought never to be ſown at all.

The opinion is conceived to be il founded which holds that hay made of ſown grafles is bad in quality; long ex- perience and continued prattice having ſhown that horſes are very fond of ſuch hay, and that when even fed upon it alone they are able to do a great deal of hard work. Ic can hardly be ſeriouſly afferted that hay made of the traſh produced ſpontaneouſly by the land the two firſt years after it has been cropped with corn 1s better than hay made of clover and rye- graſs."The artificial graſſes ſel= dom or never periſh at once at the end of either the ſe- cond or third year: they diſappear gradually, making room for the natural herbage to occupv their place, which

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