——= ———— .„2 niv.-bibi. Giessen RELATING To AGRICULTURE RURAL AEE At Rs; ars i, MADE me ES : Yeu SAAN GV _ > AL Yo Ss REL ATEN G LTO AGRIC ttc Rk| } AND RURAL ARE ALR-S. : THE FOURTH EDITION, a WITH CORRRECTIONS, AND LARGE ADDITIONS. Bry; F.R.S. F.A.S. S. JAMES ANDERSON, LL.D.| Honorary Member of the Society of Arts, Acriculture&c, at Bath: of the 7 J b] S&’? Philofophical, and of the Agricultural Societies in Manchefter; of the Society i for Promoting Natural Hiftory, London; of the Academy of Arts, Sciences, j | and Belles Lettres, Dijon; of the Philofophical Societ 7, Philadelphia; of i ccd dee Ns y s i, 5 the Royal Economical Society, Berlin; and correfpondent Member of the| Royal Society of Agriculture, Paris; Author of feveral Performances.| | | VOLUME SECOND. A 4 And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make tqwo ears of corn, or two blades of grafs, to grow upon a{pot of ground where only one grew before,| wuould deferve better of mankind, and do more e ential ferwice to his country, than the whole race of Politicians fut together. SwIrtT, LONDON: PRINTED FOR G. G. AND J- ROBINSON, PATER-NOSTER-ROW; AND FOR BELL AND BRATEFUTE, EDINBURGH, M.PCC.XCYII. ES Pek BEA CE: HE following EssAy is a very inconfiderable fragment of a niuch larger work, in which the Author had made but a{mall progrefs, when the event mentioned in the introductory advertifement, put a ftop to the farther profecution of it. And as it is poffible he may never be in a fituation which fhall enable him to finifh that work as he at firft intended, he has been prevailed upon to offer it to the Public in its prefent imperfect ftate,—hoping, that even in this impesfect Pp’ ping P ftate, it may be of fome ufe in directing the attention of Z ee an future enquirers to proper objects.——To contribute farther towards that end, the following account is given of the Author’s defign, and the motives that induced him to engage in this undertaking. From particular circumfances, nowife interefting to the Reader, he was neceffarily engaged in the practice Asriculture, at a very early period of life; and which that mode of life prefented to an ingenuous a3 mind, vi Poe en Ce, mind, he engaged in the ftudy of it, with an ardour na- tural to the impetuofity of youth. By confulting fuch noe authors on this fubject as fell in his way, he foon found himfelf deeply involved in intricate phyfical. difcuffions about the pabulum of plants,—the influence of falts, oils, acids, and many other like fubftances, of which’ he could form but a very vague and indeterminate idea, fo:| as not to be able with certainty to perceive the full force of fuch arguments as were adduced by thefe au-/ thors, in fupport of their favourite hypothefes. And being unwilling to be inftruéted by halves, or to take the word of any author as a demon/ftration of the propofi~ tion he ailumed, he applied himfelf with diligence, to ac- quire a knowledge of thofe{ciences that feemed necefi: fary( to be attained, before he could petufe thefe authors with, Pe pront.| Fs But, inftead of reaping the benefit from thence that:{ he had at firft expected, he had the mortification to 4 find, that‘thefe Writers were in general. equally igno- rant of the real qualities of the fubftances whofe names 7 they employed, as he himfelf had been; and that each! having formed in his own mind, a vague idea of fonte Fi i imaginary. Fea ay FA Coe Vil imaginary fubftance, endowed with as imaginary quali- ties, modelled by his fancy, fo as exactly to fuit the hy- pothefis he had aflumed, gave it the name of /alt, oit, acid, or any other that. chanced firft to occur to his memory,—and then employed it on all occafions to ex- plain every difficulty that might occur with regard to the Theory or Practice of Agriculture. And as they for the moft part argued with a degree of confidence exactly proportioned to their own ignorance, he found that the influence of thefe dogmatic Theorifts had extended fo far as to pervert the minds of practical farmers to fuch a degree, as to render them in many cafes incapable of drawing impartial conclufions from the obfervations that their own experience afforded. Thus even practical: farmers were prevented from writ- ing intelligibly on almoft any fubject, they being con~ {tantly defirous of adapting facts to their own whimfical and abfurd theories. Tired, at length, with repeated fruitlefs endeavours to attain ufeful knowledge in this way, and difgufted with the nonfenfical jargon he was obliged to read, a4 he; Vill rf Ron” Fo A. Ge. By he, in a fort of literary apathy, threw afide his books, and refolved to difengage his mind from theoretical reafon- ing as much as poflible, and, with unprejudiced fincerity of intention, attend to practice alone, as the only fure mode of inftruCtion. were within him } re aay the moit erectuz : ceived, that as a fy had Cen Too iret any accurate mode who wifhed to |) ¢} knowledge, to be tO an accurate n “9 al tend to vary tne Cautious how ne hat could not have been authorifed by Being thus, in fome meafure, obliged to retiie as it if for inftruction, and to meditate upon per- | means of attaining it, he foon| — s .} Ce pb cA ee vue and inaccurate mode of reafoning Var Uv ‘ly admitted into this fcience, in confe- 1, conclufions were frequently drawn of induction; it behoved a farmer .} eg_ 7 ts make any folid attainments in ufeful particularly careful to accuftom himfelf 1athematical mode of reafoning, And led to diftineuifh between the efential ircumitances that micht on any occafion fult of an experiment, he would be: i ' \dmitted any thine as a fact upon which :(ras} 1) C“1 8 any future reafoning fhould be ereéted, until it had been J .}|)} 1 ps previoully demonitrated to be fuch But ar ne eee be ol AS Ce We pee $4 ¥ But when he began to examine into the truth of thofe facts ufually admitted as axioms* in the{cience of aeri- culture, it is difficult to defcribe his difappointment, when, inftead of that certainty he hoped for, he found himfelf continually involved in doubt and uncertainty. N 1.. iA 1€ pay; Nor does he imagine, that any one who has not examin- ed this fubje€t with the fame attention that he has done, could think it poffible that an art which has been practifed f fhould be till all civilized for fo many ages by a nations, t f uncertainty involved in fuch grea ] 7A ya=) bates Shae will he\taind to pe wiculary as 1t will De'found fo be ;-: 14 c: A ee Oey fae aa bey Wy ee: Fn est for forming any ratiGiat tneory Of ag feanty, that little elfe but hypothetical conjecture could be expected in that way, until facts were more accurately authenticated. And as he is fentible 1t requires armuh- =: aS| wad 2 RRA St Axiom, 1m mathematics, is a term employed to aenote thofe felf-evident truths. that are. fo obvious to the under {tanding as to be readily recognized as fuch, without any fort of demonftration, and therefore ferve as a bafis upon which other demonftrations may be eréfted=-Such as, a pari 15 not 1 1 o great as the whal‘ 5) 7 CO mon! y¥ z, ¢ —S—— aes Se—_ peels aD ae*» —=_—— siti é— x Bee by Pe Arey commonly philofophical turn of mind, and cultivated un- derftanding, to be able to felect w ith judgment fuch lead- acts as might ferve as a balfis to an infant theory, or to make fuch experiments as might be decifive in this point of view, he wifhes to turn the attention of the practical farmer altogether from thefe vain purfuits, and to perfuade him to be contented with viewing it as an economical art, on the proper knowledge of which, as fuch, his profperity and happinefs depend. Happy will 4 Cc ne deem himfelf, if his efforts in'this way fhall be attend- seaving, therefore, the philofopher* to purfue his fublime fpeculations, and proceeding in the more humble walk to which he had confined himfe lf, it readily occurred, that as thofe who practife Agriculture are ufually con- fined to a particular fpot, their obfervations muft necef- farily be confined to thofe few objects that come within their own narrow fphere. And as their attention is ufually employed in cultivati ng fuch plants, or rearing: fuch animals, or profec cuting fuch a mode of culture as <= } Sane We: nNended Ccpance may Nave recommende a at o their notice, without being acquainted with all the varieties of thefe that may hp i Pema re cS Ay GO Ob: X! e met with in different parts of the earth, or knowing the cafes in which others might be fubftituted inftcad of them, with advantage; they are, ina great many cafes, ig- norant of what might be done for their own emolument, nor know they how tomake the greateft advantage of their own particular fituation:—fo that, not being fenfible of their real wants, they remain contented with what they only know in part, without making thofe efforts, which, if properly direted, muft naturally tend very much to improve that art which they practife. In thefe circumftances, he imagined that nothing could promife to be of more real utility to the practical farmer, than a work that-was calculated to prefent to him a concife view of all thofe objects that fhould have a claim to his attention, when he was fo circumftanced as to have any particular object of purfuit in view; that, by thus having a diftin¢ét knowledge of all the circum- ftances that could affect him, he might be in no danger of overlooking any of them. He would thus be en- abled to advance with fome degree of certainty, in- ftead of purfuing that devious and defultory courfe, to which Xil Po Re En FA” Ct-E; which he is, in the prefent fituation of affairs, fo much In purfuing thefe difquifitions, he imagined, that as the proper bufinefs of the farmer may be faid to confift in rearing fuch crops as may be ufeful to man, and in ma- naging or difpofing of thefe fo as that they might turn cut to the greateft benefit to himfelf, and good to the >» Public, the whole of the objects that could lay claim to his attention might properly be reduced to the three fol- lowing general heads, viz. pee Yiit=) 2 fi, The knowledge of the different properties of all xe by aA sin ML Ww i& © the plants that can be raifed by the’ farmer;—the dif- wile« ine of them 5 ee 1&: ieee 7 2d, The knowledce of the nature and ciitinouithine 5 i anialities C the a fi nf met If YY wd 3) bar~~ quailuics Of the cilerent animais tnat may be kept for; > a = the warian ey Co Asa] on tle various operations of Agriculture, and or thoie that are reared sor the purpofe of confuming haf, Giants he PATE moe Brigeantity ce lk thefe plants; and the proper method of treating the je AGE aAe 5 aiizerent F“i a hE ERAT prem™ as- Oe o- Pate BP A Ce: xiii different varieties of them, fo as to make any one kind } of food, on all occafions, produce the greateft poffible effect. And, 3d, The knowledge of foils; the way of manuring and cultivating thefe, fo as beft to fit them for rearing fuch valuable plants as may be moft beneficial to the a J farmer. For, Unlefs a man is acquainted with ai/ the plants that can be reared in his foil or climate, and with a// the diftinguifhing qualities, and peculiar properties* of each, fo as to know with certainty in what circum- * This paflage has fomewhat the appearance of a tauto- logy, or unmeaning amplification, that the Author knew not how to avoid. By diftinguifbing qualities, he would wifh to denote thofe peculiarities that are often remarked in the manner of growth, time of vegetating,&c. of plants; and by peculiar properties, he would be underftood to mean the yuedical qualities, if he may ufe that expreffion, or thofe qualities by which they are fitted to affect the animal eco- nomy, when confumed by any living creature. The mean- ing of this diftinétion will be more obvious from many paf- ages in the follawing Difquifitions. {tances XW Phe 6 PA Pe ee. ftances any one of thefe could be raifed to the greateft perfection, and for what purpofes they could be moft economically employed, he cannot be faid to have at- tained a perfect knowledge of rural economics*. Unlefs a man is acquainted with a@// the animals that 1 it is in his power to rear, and knows the peculiar diftin- > euifhing qualities, and the moft proper method of treat- 2 ing each clafs of animals, in all circumftances; the feve- ral products that may be obtained from each, and the ea- fieft method of increafing or diminifhing any one of thefe, as he may find beft to fuit his circumftances—he muft be confidered as ignorant of a very important branch of knowledge in this art. And, Unlefs he knows the particular foil, and the mode of culture, that is beft adapted to rear each of thefe plants, * I have here ventured to adopt a term from a foreign language, for want of a proper one in ourown. The word Agriculture, in Englith, is often underftood to exprefs all thofe circumftances that belong to the fcience here treat- ed of,—although, from the obvious etymology of the word, it feems to be forced from its natural and proper fignifica tion. 4 to Tee eee ee = es i reomsok fF A Gas, KY al \e ik to the greateft poffible perfection, he cannot practife t art of Agriculture, with all the advantage that he might otherwife derive from it. But if he knew, in every cafe, what plants his foil, in the ftate in which it might chance tobe in at any one time, could rear to the greateft perfection;—if he knew the manner of treating that foil, fo as to bring it to rear other plants that it was not naturally fitted to produce;— if he were thoroughly acquainted with all the diftinguifh- ing qualities of every one of thefe plants, and knew with certainty the way in which they might be dif- pofed of, or confumed with the greateft advantage to himfelf;—-and if he were perfectly acquainted with the nature and peculiar qualities of every animal that he could rear, and particularly inftructed in the beft me- thod of managing fuch animals as the plants he could raife were beft adapted to nourifh, fo as to make every particular fpecies of food produce the greateft pofMible effe&;—he would on all occafions be able to employ his time and labour to the utmoft advantage to himfelf, and benefit to the public, and might be faid to have at- tained the higheft degree of knowledge in this art that could be defired, W hether XVI PD Rita ACE. Whether it is poflible for human powers ever to at. 1ely doubtful. But it is probable that thofe will come neareft to it, who, y having their eye conftantly fixed upon the goal, know, with fome degree of certainty, the diftance they are from it, and the obftacles that muft be overcome be- fore they can reach it; and, with a well-directed per- feverance, fteadily prefs forward with unremitting ar- dour. To affit{uch ingenious enquirers, it was propofed to enter into an accurate examination of all the particular branches that might appertain to each of the general heads above enumerated;—to endeavour to point out, under each particular head, what were the circum- ftances that it would be of the greateft importance fo. him to know;—to enquire with accuracy, what particu- lars relating to each particular head had been already dif- covered:esto diftinguifh, by a careful difcrimination, the facts that had been eftablifhed with certainty, from thofe that had been adopted without fufficient proofs;—and to jead to the moft probable means of profecuting future dif- COVETIES, Such ———eE—EeEeEE—EE ————————— Pa RS EA FAS C ee * ) Vox, II. b perfons vie PRE FAT Cer perfons who fhall take the trouble to perufe thefe fketches, will be able to avoid perceiving, that it is hard- ly in his power to give fatisfactory anfwers to many doubts that are there ftarted, or to deny that it would be of great importance to the farmer to know them. CONTENTS. Pn onsiatieemeeceemnniiiiaeaaeetieaam eee CO NT Neg. 5, Page. MisceLianeous DisquistTions, DousrTs, and QUERIES relating to. AGRICULTURE,- [. Difquifitions relating to the comparative degree of nourifhmient afforded by dif- ferent plants, to all the different kinds of domeftic animals,+ Il. Enquiries whether many other plants befides thofe of the herbaceous kindy may not be profitably raifed as a crop for food to fome of the domeftic ani- mals?== Bi 2 {]I. Ditto, whether or not there are any plants that afford, comparatively, more abundant nourifhment to animals when green or dry, or vice verfa?= IV. Ditto, relating to the moft economical mode of confuming plants, whether green, or made into hay,- V. Ditto, with a view to difcover fuch plants as may be moft economically confum- ed by being cut and ufed green, or 23 25 b2 that | ee e- —— Semalnldas Se ee a Bares bere: niece eet APN ea, tea ct : ee ——“y | ae i ° '© i eo Loe) i] roi A): a fy“2 ss 7 1; 7 wn::: s , o 3 es e Lp ies \> w+ fo)(feds a> an,= i~=) re ron‘ aT)= j 42 fo iaen Ao) S Se' S ~ Nis~ of 3; 5= Tp) yt=» rm}> ¢ 4[ay 2 aad we se= wp) Lar- F hist QO OU err O oa >) 1 O:>« 4 Ge 2 os’ fe)=) F a Dea, 68 eats hela; aes rj 1 ¢==f\e@, q- i[x4 4 1 o q; 4 3 j r S![S)~ oy 5 is o r 3 n} nat a)© I a=: | D»— Cc: 2 ont‘= 4 saa))) mo(GSig Shes 1B| | 5(ey owt KA :; O mh an: 5 0- al ta—= js 1 3 . oS 5 2 Ky, er! q Oo va + a) P ad me=‘ i MN 1‘~”~@ ot ee o - q, oO a) rAeZ) Shee 2 ek a me oD© cb C f= ex< i~ Ors SS oe a a a-s F wae: 3> ny i:= bO oS J J~~; p 2 cae S mo as)© toy) Fas}): OD Stee| Y 4‘}% Com aed O Shi ca an 0 5 ens) c=| | im a D 3 5~*~~~ 27 Cc od:: Ke) |. eo: i:--: Se a5 mo=| 3‘ a b, Se ie)= ieee OS x ¢ 5 sO pacer i) oD)~ rc oa 5‘ a S]| -_—“SS< 7 ie Oo ign) itera) a)! eS= eth et)== rm) me a ond re>:<| ~_— Ly c rg Ye= cS=| =| a=; c A y> S 4) ame re i ay in o) 3—_{—~ Cs+ Cc p)= t cS“a Uu f© 259= nied~ ra)) a O=& e= ov oe= o ny b Nn~ 1D) i i Be_ c: Ly;) Vinee fi a berate 4. ee|— fl4~” rr]~— os«(ah ax cD), 5 eS= a Y=!) om i). w a~ tH sy poe f wena. se Gat ws gee") oc hg 18 eg ae oS ss! , ¢ fe Of a Se: iets) a-;‘— 8 b WW« Le> a“ rs G$‘ 4: ms 3 ~ om Fl 4) te; Fe ae C@ sa=}- 5 eo Bs Cece‘) c ¢= a,‘= f.= i)& a eos ne z On= c: S» fe onebs ~ ipod ce SS= Q a, 4 5 fe pt eae 5 a. yea A) re= sae| ~~ a> ec Te ad bs} y)‘= is, t) ss) Us Fis: ¢ ci= co§: o :: mM—— a3 art q: i Ss 3; eo gs oe ee2 i J en aad) foo — 4 == 4 : KA Kg k a f vN k fe ee it a | sf pape slante~y n if fome plants n not| noxious to fome kinds of animals, and nourifhine and wholefome to others! SZTT Sie rong oe gs Capes Rete aa XII. Difquifitions relating to fuch plants as XI\ <7 ». %7¥ AV I aT Ym te| fre Sew| may promote the generative facuity of / ro) different animals,- ° 1: B Sey A eres aor eee Ditto, relating to fuch as may provoke to venery,~ Dey te eae I Fy Ditto, concerning fe ¢ 1 Fon| augment the gq 5: 4 met nimale MeEic1C animals, 3- t 1c rey| iC,= m rs. Seen fifa Bl EI ay Sees eee mom ot 1 Ditto, relating to fuch as tinge the milk } are)| a eae bate or Dutter with a rich yei:iow COLoUr, animal,-== tn V1 ©) ni fom O (opi £ OF “Se. ee Us a i«C. ON Fe oN aS. Page. animals as may chance to be fed upon them,-- 70: XX. Difquifitions relating to the peculiarities of climate, and other circumftances ne- ceflary to be attended to by the farmer, to enable him to judge in what cir- Pence he ae Rabie ad cumitances he may probabiy expeé that plants or animals may be fucceff- fully introduced into one country from another,=. De) “I XXI. Enquiries if any kind of food can be improved by any particular way of pre- paring it?--: 95 XXII. Ditto, if any kinds of food for domeftic animals can be rendered more nutri- tive by being compounded, or given along with any other fort of food, or the reverfe? S= Oo te4 XXII. Ditto, relating to the efficacy of condi- ments given aion domeftic animals,= 1or XXIV. Difquifitions relating to the moft proper method of preparing the body, or ma- raging domeftic animals, fo as to dif- pofe them to receive the higheft pofible benefit | | ! | | XX 144 Page, benefit from the food that fhall be given them,== 103 ~ XXV. Enquiries, if the fame mode of treat- ment be equally proper for increafing the quantity of milk, and for fattening any animal?-~ 105 XXVI. Ditto, relating to the effect that a difference of pafture may have upoa the quality of the wool of fheep, 107 XXVII. Ditto, relating to the influence of a variation of climate upon the nature of the wool of fheep,- 10g XXVIII. Ditto, relating to the change that may be produced on the quality of the wool by the age of the fheep,- 110 X XIX. Ditto, concerning the improvement of i the quantity of the wool, in confe- quence of different modes of manag= ing fheep,~- III } XXX. Enquiry, if the quality of the wool can be improved or debafed by the appli- cation of any fubfances to the body of the fheep while the wool is growing? 112 XXXI. Difguifitions relating to the moft pro- per age for fattening the different kinds Por as 7 54 Mn se ©~—& r rate! 5 Ns- pupa ne me Ke ig 4 j») ey) 4 a is e et fa pte i} ar‘ } Du 4 bel‘‘ j S e A pier(iia!; t‘ Ls z= {= ot= om yaad! u 1= t WwW oA e ed 7©~ a)=| cB) ow) ct ce and< 3)= es= By S es oe)<: oes fasion© Ms os SUK Sener en 5):: é 5 ¢) 4 Se R) F q) or iat»)®&. ee vod p Vd.? ' FQ Cc=& Net ok a I ee©) ct— res z> as~J wae~ Nea at VY 2 t 3‘ t { 5) w© OR ee 43 ao Lay} A A wr? Fv o a Ss t} 3 fl SH SS fa]— aed ot=) w fj r a on mn») Ae 1) m= cs; O Lt Coon» CJ ae& i 3 / par 4) Cie Re Marian 2B) o 3S a ep)~ cD)< a no 1 ra) i ahead a) aI€= aay CO i)~ ct S MS 3(©) ce) re pies) rs ae ep) i:‘|' on oO“ a re)- w— A) i f 2 qn it& oS o oS‘J© t cS bine i vad a4=" ws pam 4 e eet pate) cine 7.~ t~ Las) Lan > 4) a 9°)~@}~ Oo Co ina) a c wah= Oe eer~ al eal ar}==) 4 : SS oO§-© O ct 7) oS~ a ~— Ww 4 Ke pa; a) Cy ke 2 Cys Re I ted S 60 ei Sten= ‘ ote: c a- oa a sa- haze r AGN=e J oN yr ont nie= Q x 6(e2- pee: on o) q) on‘( -— on=].—J) 5 4—d J 2) Ww) la> ©) s cH ps i vas») 2,. 4 ah > 3~—” oO Pa) ors) ct ¢ pa: bah a ie) oC 4——— CO Peal os 7): pm Cc! iis aa iD) Ge St Qy ct Tes no om onde ey 2) 4 w" ° Ss S a o) Biss ib) a) ee ats G nS rs > SOver we ea es aaa fo ee ns Or Sea ee 5 S S)‘ €“C3_— ms 4— t| ay= 4 Gp tenes NEL orm Car ae‘ 2) a a a a& ss om pa‘)= et{ xs rr~ ae 2—|™ c om‘= 2 of© so oa(oD)= cs Sele a an=© J~= a>= mo 5 Q 4 e) Ss D)#==) ‘RD A Oo saris paw a" N ww pal et Ae co 20)= oe r~= a ww 2. ny E, x=: r A 4 3 B) wo ony> o~~ mA ayes ple)| ps oomen|(..) es y™ 4 NA P< > a es vN f rm oe Sg: pd ? Sd e: rN : j - A ee aT! ==—= a a a a = J = Zp ) Le Sa) atl taining an enquiry, whether tl V7 2 hh Fat A are Ye“ep: over be improved by art, or not? 442 Of rye-grafs, confidered as a pafture grals,== iQg ee Ate Baer REL SY ee te i Urple iCiCuUC-OTAlsy= ZOD ps fefcue-grafs, 200 : aa i Vernal foft-grafs, 2106 Bulbous foxtail-grafs,. 2.18 ae or Opera TT i imotay—ZFalSy- 219 Great meadow-grafs, or poa 2.2.0 Creeping meadow-erafs, z B i oO&! \{ ern oraic nasi se~, V efnal-Sralsy 224 Gente didaccetmlearmnic é ~reitea dogs-tail-grais,- 22 5 5) Ge: foe gaa! is S Ine bent-grafs,~ 220 € | a ieee i. orate i lote felcue-grafs- 2 A aN Y Ee 2“2! (ocks-foot crafts,- ha YY 4 1(025 h Pea a Milk-wort,=~ 2,2: Yellow vetchline: 224 5) aot Ginenesline wacis Fe WOFrONlida Varlds,-<42 4 rf 1vorum = a et— i= Sere <—— oie te“7— ¥.~ as nh XX N. AAA XXXVI. Vi : Chivorum intybus,- 24.7 Medicago lupulina,- 247 Narrow-leaved plantain, or rib- grafs,-- 248 Grafs-leaved plantain,- 248 Yarrow,-- 250 Enquiries into what may be the moft economical manner of ale the produce of pafture-fields, 258 Ditto, relating to the animals that may be moft economically kept toge- ther upon the fame farm?- 265 XXXVI. Ditto, if there are any other ufeful XXXIX AE she animals in different parts of the globe, that might be introduced in- to Great Britain, with profit? 240 Difguifitions relating to the mule, and different animals of the hybrid clafs,~- 281 XL, Ditto relating to fuch plants as have their growth promoted or retarded by a variation in the firm- nefs or fpunginefs of the foil, 286 MLL. Ditto, relating to the effect of certain manures Br SC ON 22 Ee ON ToS! some Page. manures in promoting the growth of particular plants, in preference to others,-= 2.99 XLII. Ditto, concerning manures that ope- rate powerfully on fome foils, and promote not, in the fmalleft degree, the fertility of others,- 305 Difquifitions concerning the different varieties of wool-bearing animals, and other particulars con- nected with that fubject, written in the year 1794 315 Crass First. Wool-bearing fheep, properly fo called,-- Crass Seconp. Hair-bearing fheep, whofe pile is long in the ftaple, and of a qua- lity that admits of being employed in manufactures, nearly for the fame pur- pofes as wool,- B40 Crass Turrp. Sheep that carry fhort thick hair, which in no refpect refembles wool of any fort,- 333 Dogs bearing wool and hair of the fame forts, 337 Goats having nearly the fame varieties of fleece,--- 338 Hogs, varieties of, approaching to thefe,- 340 iain: CON Ph NG: S my ) ny 2 > Cattle bearing wool and hair nearly of the fame a varieties as ineepy- 34.4 ( Dra al paterancce x racticai references~- 34.7 7| Hane eto re tla Date Cees 7 val Queries refpeQing ditto by the Bath Society, 360| Anfwers to Ditto~= 362| =| Frdditions ta ditto. watten in fie bed cone oe i £,.Qd1tions fo Gitro, written in the ycai i, Q/> 306 i he Jamaica breed of thee)= 309| =. 1 1 a ‘Ne animal Carrying the golden fi EEC, 5| Gi G4 Ke oe Cc T°.) O ihe arnee of Hindoftan,- 382 A PPEND SC contai line an aecount of fame TNA 4ibee NDIA, Conair Ing an asCount of lome e¢ PCil= i al| iC alrterwaras S( aic rtain-= Fre pee) Ea Be lan= i(oad es ins Waat plants are eaten or refufed by oxen,| e rat s ey| j C ittle, HOTS, INCcep, and fwine, s 3=“ 397 ol % & MISCELLANEOUS DISQUISITIONS, DOUBTS, anv QUERIES, RELATING TO AG RiC U LT'U'R-E Vor. Hi. B nuam quid fit di Or LP be nonnilus rebus, et max m? phyfeis, quid non fit citius| CICERO. Wea;= ee oe ce Bd ES S A Y S,&ae MiscELLANEOUS DiIsqQulISITIONS, Dovusas, and QUERIES, relating to AGRICULTURE. I, T can hardly be doubted, that fome plants afford more nourifhing food for certain domeftic animals, than others: —The well-inftruéted farmer, therefore, ought to know which of all the plants that are or may be cultivated by him, will fooneft fatten any{pecies of animals that he may have it in his power to rear; as alfo the comparative degree of nourifh- ment afforded by each of thefe plants to each fpecies of animals refpeétively.— - Wanted, on this account, an exaét lift of all the plants that willbe eaten by, and may be employed as food for cattle*, arrang- * Cattle is here employed as a general term, denoting all the animals ef the cow(or Bos) kind. B2 ed As a| Neen jeer op) (aN — _ ay po TL) 2 poy B 4 — ji Zz GW ed in order, according to the degree of nourifhme i they will afford; beginning with thofe that are moft nutritive, and defcending to fuch as will hardly be eaten by this clafs of animals, or that afford them only a~ bare fubfiftence?—Wanted alfo, a fimilar catalogue of plants with x PPS Aol Pave hee refpect to horfes,—ihe€p,——goats,—hogs, —tabbits,—geefe,—and every other{pe- cies of domedtic animals that could in any 'C 3 x L SOIR caie become an objeét of the farmer's attention. S$ S Ss The benefits= would accrue to the farmer from the knowledge of the above- mentioned particulars, ar¢fo obvious; as hardly to need being pointed out.- It is evident, that he would. thus be made to lant be DidNe 4 sas exactly, not only what kind of would be mott proper for him to endea- vour to cultivate in his own particular fituation, but would alfo know in what manner he ought to confume any Bers cular plant that chance or nece fhty might throw in his tay fo as to make it turn out to his greateft profit. Yet,: ch perience orien) eS aE eel Sa= ee RP SPA ON AGRICUL TUR Ey. s perience of every reader will eafily fatisfy him, that fo far are we from having at- tained the accuracy of knowledge‘ requir- ed above, with regard to a// the domeftic animals, that we hardly as yet know the exact comparative value of any two plants with refpeét to any fingle animal; not even the favourite horfe himfelf, who has long obtained fuch a particular fhare of attention. It is, indeed, in general, known, that certain plants may on fome occafions be employed with profit for fattening fome particular animals; but the exact propor- tional value of each has never, in any cafe that Ihave heard of, beerr afcertained by proper experiments, with that degree of precifion which would be neceffary in this cafe. The only thing that approaches to this, is the attempt that the Swedith Naturalifts have made in the Pan Suecicus(-Amoenit. Acad. Vol. U1.) in which they have, by a numerous fet 6f experiments, endeavour- ed to difcover what plants are eaten or re- jected by the five moft common and moft’ valuable kinds of domeftic animals: oxen, B 2 fheep, ve, SE RS ES ER ee a ee a— 6. DISOUISIT Poy fheep, goats, horfes, and fwine*. But as it is by no means certain that animals always fhow a preference for thofe kinds of plants that afford them the moft nou- rifhing food, or the reverfe+; the plan that * See the Appendix. + Although it may be prefumed, that in general, in- {tinct points out to animals the plants that are hurtful to’ them, or the reverfe; yet experience fufficiently fhows, that this cannot be relied upon as an invariable guide —-among domeftic animals at leaft; which, by having little freedom of capice from their infancy, have their «| tafte, in all probability, deprave ie as well as our own.—! have feen an ox that on no account could be brought to eat turnips; and there are very few put upon them, who do not eat them at firft with fome degree of re- lu€tance, if they have not been fometimes accuftomed to tafte them before: yet it is.very well known, that few kinds of food are more nourifhing or palatable to cattle, after thes have been once accuftomed to it. In the fame manner, fheep that have~been accuftomed to eat whins(furze) browfe upon them at all times greedily, ate efer them to‘alot every other kind of fends whereas, others that have not been accuftomed to this Se will never touch it, till they are reduced to the eateft extremity by hunger; although few plants, per- aa none, afford a more nourifhing food for fheep than this.: The fame ight be faid of Burnet, Myrrh, and a great many other plants, which are for the moft part fufed at firft by fuch animals as have not been ac- cuftomed I aE mae ON MGRIGULTURE.- 7 that they have proceeded upon in this va- luable fet of experiments, does not entire- ly anfwer the purpofe here required, nor afford us that degree of certainty in this refpect that could be withed for. Experi- ments, therefore, are{till here wanting: Nor can thefe ever in this café be conclu- five, unlefs they are carried on upon a large{cale, and{o much varied as to guard avain{t the particular exceptions that might be occafioned by particular idiofyncra- cies*, or particular habits of body in the animals cuftomed to them, although they are afterwards eaten with a fufficient relifh. And if the relu€tance that an animal fhows to eat any plant that may be offered to it, does not always. indicate that fuch plant is unwholefome, fo neither does their eating it at firft freely afford a certain proof that it is ‘nnoxious. Thus Linneus obferves, that animals which have been accuftomed to feed in the open fields, are frequently hurt when carried into woodlands, by eating plants that are pernicious to them, which the cattle that had been bred in thefe laft paftures have learned by ex- perience to avoid. Here, then, it is experzence, and not inftiné?, that guards from danger. * Idiofyncracy is a term ufed by phyficians, to denote certain peculiarities with which particular animals may be affected, that is by no means common to others of the fame clafs.“hus one man may have a natural an- B4 tipathy & RO ag § DISQUISITIONS animals upon which the experiments have been made. It would be no difficult tatk to point out fuch a train of experiments, as, if faithfully executed, would bring this par- ticular to the certainty required. But as it would require little lef$ than princely munificence to execute that fet of experi- ments properly, it is perhaps unneceflary here to propofe them. How much is it > PAC TKA A-Hat Re at: aie to be regretted, that this nation,‘which gives the mot{t libe: al encouragement to almoft every other kind of improvement, fhould never have thoucht of applyine JAG BS Rane, So {mall portion of the mublic monev(and |\ very{mall proportion would luffice) to- wards the profecutine of fuch national experiments in Agriculture as exceed the power of individuals to perform; and thus bring certainty--into. an art the moft ufeful and effentially neceffary to the exiftence and well-being of man PNT Bat. £Ne€ preient in ee Gchs Kind t itance 1s a iikine example E ta) OF the real utility of fuch an inftitution, tipathy at one kind of animal, or at one kind of food, which no reafon- can overcome, or leneth of habit re- concile: This is called an idiofyncracy. See= ni mt QN AGRICULTURE. 49 It. Hitherto the attention of the farmer has been too much confined to the com- mon herbaceous plants that{pring up in the fields, and are ufually eaten by our do- meftic animals in their native ftate.—lIs it not probable, that there may be many plants that do not feem at firft fight to be reducible to this clafs, that might be pro- fitably cultivated as a crop for food to fome of our domeftic animals?—If fo, What are they? It is not neceffary here to tak of cabbages, coleworts, turnips, the cole- feed plant,&c. which have been long known to be good kinds of food for cattle and fheep, although they have only of late been generally cultivated as a field-crop by the Britith farmer.—-I would with here to turn the attention of the reader to the examination of fome other plants that have not been commonly thought capable ‘S & er ee ae —- ici a ite) DISQUISITIONS of affording good and wholefome food for domettic animals. The Myrrh plant*(wild Cicely or Cow- weed) is often feen growing in neglected corners, with great luxuriance, early in the {pring; and, in that ftate, is feldom eaten by any kind of animal, unle& by fheep, Which fometimes crop it.—But it is not in general known, that this plant affords one of the moft nourifhing kinds of food that can be found for cows and other forts of cattle, at a feafon when few other green plants can be met with; and might un- doubtedly be cultivated for that purpote, with very great profit, by the farmer. The fame might be faid of the WiWow- herb, or French Willow.*:—a plant that graws with luxuriance upon fome foils where few other forts can, be made to f thrive. The young thoots of the Epz/obium, if cut before they harden too much; af. * Chaerophyllum fploeftre. As plants have very different Englith names in dif- ferent places, to prevent the miftakes that might arife from this caufe, I thall fubjoin the Botanical names of fuch as are univerfally known. + Epilobium. 4 ford A ON AGRICULTURE. 11 ford an abundant and wholefome food. for cows, atany early feafon—before the com- mon kinds of graffes are fit for being cut, -—as I myfelf have often experienced x It has been difcovered of late, that the roots of carrots are readily eaten by hortes, and yield them plentiful nourifhment.— Probably many other roots, that are now negleéted, might be employed as a rich food for horfes, and other domeftic animals. Potatoes are well known to afford abun- dant nourifhment to cattle—and hortes; and probably they would be equally nou- rifhing to all the other domeftic animals. It feems alfo probable, that the roots of the Myrrh plant,“if ever it fhould be ex- tenfively cultivated as a crop, would be of very great value in this refpect;—as catcle, when they have once been made acquainted with the tafte of this root, be- come extremely fond of it. The weight of roots of this fort upon an acre of * The Chicorium intybus, lately introduced as a cul- tivated crop into Britain, poflefles qualities fome what akin to this. eround oO 7) 2°) DBSOIUIS TT ONS ground, when fully grown, would be inconceivably great. Cattle are alfo extremely fond of the Toots as well as the tops of the Carraway plant*, which might‘on fome occafions be employed for the fame purpofes. Beets+' were formerly more cultivated in our gardens than at prefent. ne he Neh to be chiefly valued as a food or cattle, ay carry abundance of fuc- ent leaves, which are readily eaten by attle s—but sheet roots, which ufed al- ways to be thrown away, would be the principal crop as a food for cattle. Thetfe roots contain a larger Proportion of fac- charine juice than any other plont com- mon with us. An ounce of gtained{ugar has been extraGed from a pound of tl ne green root: and it is wel] known, that 1= lal a ¥> nothing fattens. animals in general fo quickly as plants that contain lugar in large proportions 1 pa oy S Cc i , icem to fhow a ecreater fondnefs for the reots than any other at ep part of many * Corum carui.+ Beta vi ulearis. t The root of{carcity which has attracted the atten- tention of the public a good deal fince th written, belongs to this clafs of plants. e above was plants, = on ON AGRICULTURE. 13 .®; plants, and would probably be much nourifhed by them, if we were at pains to fele&t fuch plants for cultivating for other ufes, as had roots that were pecu- liarly grateful to them; and the valué of fuch crops might be greatly augmented by this circumftance. Sheep are uncommonly fond of the leaves of the common Dandelion*, and other plants of the fame Clafs;—but they will leave almoft any other fort of food, to {earch for the roots of the Dandelion among ploughed fields, where thefe abound.‘They are alfo exceedingly fond of the roots of all the plants of the Hawkweed tribe+. They likewife fearch with avidity for the roots of the common Mugwort f. And they are alfo very fond of the root of graffy-leaved Plantain§, which fome- times grows to a confiderable fize. Whether they or{wine, or any other domeftic animal, would eat the roots of the Epilobium, which are extremely tender, and very numerous, I cannot fay:—But * Leontodum taraxacum.+ Hieracium. { Artemifia vulgaris.§ Plantago minima. if —— etree + atten— I | | 5 \ | | li: ‘ ik “4. DESHNISITIONS if they did, it might be cultivated on many occafions by the farmer, with greater profit than almoft any other crop. I do not know if any ufe has hitherto been made of the roots of the Lucerne.— Thefe, where the crop has been luxuriant, are extremely large, and atford a faccha- rine juice, that’ would probably be very nourifhing to fome forts of animals. The roots are indeed tough and itringy in their natural ftate;—but if mafhed by a ftone rolling about on its edge like a tan-mill, er by any other contrivance, they would become tender enough for ufe. The fame might be faid of Sam-foin (Saint-foin vulgo) roots. But of thefe] {peak lets pofitively, not being fo well ac- quainted with the nature of them. But no plant that lam a¢quaurted with, promifes to be more valuable in this way, than the garden everlafting Pea; the roots of which grow in time to a very large fize, and are full of a rich faccharine Juice, little inferior to the garden liquorice. How thefe roots could be moft eafily taken out of the ground, might be en- quired ON AGRICULTURE. 15 quired into, after their feveral qualities were fully afcertained. Many other roots might be mentioned —fome of which grow to an enormous fize, and are juft now accounted of no value, that might poflibly be of great ufe as food for domeftic animals.—All thefe deferve to be examined: for fome of them might perhaps admit of being profitably cultivated as a crop; and others, which, though they could not be thus employed, might{till be of great utility in{upplying the deficiencies of a fcanty crop, were they properly known. Neceflity has been, with fome appear- ance. of juftice, called the mother of invention {trongly annexed the idea of want and and fome perfons have{fo poverty to every economical experiment of this kind, that they would be afhamed to be feen making them. Thofe may reckon themfelves happy who are under na necefity of exerting ther genius in this manner, and ought thankfully to avail themfelves of the forced experiments of the poor. But it would be more for their honour, if they, with a liberal{pirit of enterprize, way ——— posssins casei z SE ae 16 DISQUISITIONS a enterprize, naade the difcoveries for them- {elves.—Many trials may prove abortive; —-but if one, among a great number, fucceeds, they will ee. ie agreeable'fa- tisfaction to fee/, that they have not been entirely ufelefs to their country and pof- terity s—Nor do they{pring up on the face of the earth, and decay like the weeds of the field, that only incumber the ground for a feafon—are trodden un- der foot, and foon forgotten,—or are only remembered with abhorrence and difguft. In the northern regions of Norway and Lapland, the inhabitants are obliged to try many plants as food» fer themfelves and cattle, which have beat neglected| by thofe whofe milder climate leaves them a greater variety to choofé from. They ga- ther the leaves and tender twies of various forts of trees, which they carefully pre- ferve, inftead of hay, for their beftial, and find that it affords them as abundant nourifhment as any hay whatever*. Ought * And in the fouthern parts of France, Ital y, and in India, they gather the leaves of trees, with which they feed their beafts in fummer, when the grafs is ane up by the parching heat of the fun, not a ON AGRICULTURE. 1 fiot this to afford us a hint, not to neglect our own trees or fhrubs; fome of which might be employed with profit, even by us, were their qualities fufficiently known? The moft valuable hay that the Ro- mans were poffeffed of, confifted of the leaves and twigs of a fhrubby plant,— the Cytz/us. And the experience of many perfons in the north of Scotland, as well as of fome of the difcerning few in England, has fuficiently proved, that the tender twigs ef the common whin*,(furze), when bruifed, afford_ a more wholefome and nourifhing wintef-food for horfes and cattle, than perhaps any other plant that has ever yet been difcovered,—not ex- cepting the Roman Cyti/us itfelf: Yet few experiments have been made, to difcover the moft proper manner of cultivating this valuable plant+. Another * Ulex Europeus. + Since the former edition of this book was publifh- ed, I have learned, that the tender twigs of the com~ mon Scots Fir affords a wholefome food for cattle and fheep. In the{pring of the year 1782, fodder for Vot, Il. Cc cattle | i | { q \ 1 TTS rn Ss a iS DIFSQUISITIONS Another plant that might poffibly be of ufe to the farmer in this way, is the common Laburnum. This is nearly allied to the Roman Cyzi/us, in its botanical cha- racters. Its leaves and tender fhoots are very much liked by cattle; and‘it rows with fuch a rapid luxuriance when young, as feems to promife that a very great weight of hay might be obtained from an acre of ground under this crop. lt may perhaps appear a little extra- ordinary to fome readers, to hear of a pro- pofal for making hay from trees; yet they have feen, that the only nation of antiqui- ty which made agriculture its particular. fiudy, followed this praétice with fucce(s. cattle was very fcarce in the north of Scotland; and the feafon was fo backward, that many cattle died before the grafs fprang up. On that occafion, one gentleman kept 250 head Of cattle alive, and in good health, for upwards of two months, without any other food but the twigs of common fir. The branches were cut freth for them every day, and in this cafe were given to the cattle in the houfe.x—Another gentleman kept feveral cattle abroad during the whole winter, with{carce any other food but the twigs of this tree, which were cut down every day for their ufe. The cattle came and rea~ dily browfed upon them. Horfes take to this food with greater reluctance.—-Sheep, I am told, eat it heartily. Nor ee a se Soa ES ee ON AGRICULTURE. 1g Nor will this appeat{fo extraordinary, when nearly examined, as it may feem at firft fight. The fhoots of the laburnum, as well as of many other trees, are as tender while young, and as entirely herbaceous, as thofe of clover, or any other of the moft {ucculent graffes; and if thefe twigs were cut while in that{tate, they might perhaps affordas nourifhing hay as clover or lucerne. The Lucerne plant, which affords, be-~ yond any degree of comparifon, the moft valuable hay that we moderns are ac- quainted with, if fuffered to run to their full length for a whole feafon, are more frm and woody than the fhoots of the Laburnum at the.end of the feafon. It is well known, that almoft all forts of deciduous trees, when cut over clofe by the ground, fend out{trong and nume- rous fhoots, which quickly attain a much greater magnitude than if the tree had been fuffered to grow in its ordinary man- ner. The fhoots of a willow managed in this way, will often exceed nine feet ina feafon, which would not have been above two or three if the ftem had not. been lately cut over. C2 I have 20 DES QUISITPIONS I have often feen the fhoots of a young Laburnum, in ordinary health, without amputation, exceed four feet in a feafon: —If a vigorous ftem had been cut over clofe by the ground, thefe fhoots would probably, have been much above that length. Thetfe young fhoots are extreme- Jy herbaceous, and are covergd clofely, over their whole length, with numerous large fucculent leaves, which, in figure, O 5 fs tafte, and{mell, greatly refemble thofe of red clover*. I, * There are two forts of Laburnum common in this Country, which may be diftinguifhed by the appellation of the broad and narrow-leaved Laburnum. It is the firft fort I here allude to; in all"that‘has been faid above. The fhoots of this fort are long, irregular, and hang dangling on every fide; the leaves are large, have long and weak foot-ftalks, foft and pliable to the touch, and are of a light-green colour, with a flight tinge of red on the young ftalks. The flowers are{maller than thofe of the other fort; and the pods are flatted, with a foft pliable{kin upon them. The pods of the other fort are hard, round, and fomewhat knotty; the leaves fmaller than the other, and of a darker Saxon-green colour, with fhorter and ftronger foot-ftalks. The branches grow more erect, and are garnifhed with much fewer leaves.— This fort is ON AGRICULTURE.& If, then, a plot of ground were filled with the roots of this fort of tree, and the ftems cut over clofe by the ground, a great number of thefe herbaceous fhoots would {pring up from every one of thefe{tems, which might be cut over with a fcythe at any timé in fummer, with as great eafe as a crop of clover; and might either be made into hay, or confumed green, as fhould be moft convenient for the farmer. Thefe fhoots{pring up much earlier in the fea- fon than red clover, and might be cut once, twice, or thrice in a feafon, as{hould beft fuit the purpofes of the owner. The roots would continue to increafe in fize, and the annual fhoots in vigour, for many years, and yield fucceflive crops without any additional trouble or ex- pence,—if it fhould be found, upon trial, that the hay or grafs.(if I may ufe that phrafe) was of a valuable fort. Nearly the fame thing might be faid of is a more beautiful tree, but would not anfwer the pur- pofes here required near fo wel] as the other. Thefe trees, after they are ten or twelve years old, produce abundance of feeds, which{pring up as readily as crefles, if fowed ina good foil. (oe the 22 DISQUISITIONS the common wood-bine, or honey-fuckle*; fome of the freett fhooting, and moft her- baceous forts+ of which crow to a very great length in one feafon; and, if ma- naged in the fame manner, would, no doubt, yield a prodigious weight of fodder. { find, that fome cattle{ eat the leaves and tender fhoots of this plant without * Lonicera Periclymenum. + There is avery great difference in this refpect, among the different kinds of wood-bines. The wild fort, with woolly leaves, and long thread-like ftalks, would be very improper. The beft fort feems to be one that has thick and ftrong fhoots, of a greenifh colour, with a tinge of red on one fide, large bright-coloured fmoot! fucculent leaves, and a large tuft of big flowers, yellow tinged with red on the outfide, which begin to open about the middle of June, and continue to blow till the end of the feafon. t The reader ought to be informed, that there is a very great difference among cattle in this refpe€. Some cows, efpecially thofe that have been bred with garden- ers, refufe hardly any green thing; others can fcarcely be prevailed with to eat any thing but common gra{s. The beft way to bring a beaft to eat any kind of food it has not been accuftomed with, is to make it ftand near one which eats the kind of food you mean to give it. In a fhort time, moft animals will be brought, in this man- ner, without conftraint, to eat almoft any fort of food that 0 0 ON*AGRICULTDPRE. 23 reluGtance. Whether it would afford them a wholefome nourifhment, I have not had experience enough to fay;—but there is no reafon to think it would not. Willows, and many other trees, afford long and tender fhoots, which might pof- fibly be of ufe in this way on fome occa- fions, were they properly tried. This is a walk in agriculture, that may be faid to be in fome meafure untrod: ™ and although thefe obfervations may to fome appear whimfical, yet the fubject does not on that account the lefs merit the attention of the liberal-minded. en- quirer into the principles of rural eco- nomy., a fil. 4 It is fuppofed, that fome plants may not yield fuch wholefome food for animals when green, as when made into hay; and that, perhaps, others, on the contrary, ai ford better nourifhment asa grecn food, | than as a dry.——_Wanted, an exa¢t lift | of all our plants, compared with one an- 4= te oe oa 7 other in this re{pect, with regard to each of the domeftic animals above named. 24 DISQUISITIONS S$ S§$ With regard to mankind, we know that many plants, which, when green, are hardly fit for food, become extremely nourifhing when dry;—and that fome are even poifonous in that ftate, which afterwards become an agreeable and wholefome food;—as the Caflava-root. And as thé wrus* of many plants de- pends upon a very volatile effential oil, that may be evaporated in drying the plants, as happens with regard to the root of the horfe-radith+, it is extremely probable that the qualities of the fame plant may frequently be very different in a dried ar a green ftate. Tull the farmer, therefore, is made acquainted with this particular, his knowledge is not fo great as it ought to be; and he muft be often at a lofs to know which plant he ought to cultivate * T have- ventured to adopt this word, as I know no proper Englifh word that is equivalent to it-—lIt is here employed to denote that particular power by which plants are enabled to produce any fenfible effect upon the animal fyftem, whether this be falutary or perni- cious. + Cochlearia Amorica. ~— ON AGRICULTURE. 25 for any particular purpofe, or which way he could confume any particular plant to the greateft advantage. ry. Ir is probable that fome plants, which may perhaps be pofleffed of the fame qua- lities when green as when in a dry ftate, may neverthelefs be more properly and economically confumed, by gutting them green, and employing them in that ftate, than by allowing them te be made into hay; and, in fome cafes, perhaps, the re- verfe of thig may be the cafe-—Wanted, a lift of each of thefe claffes of plants as -above. S S$§$ Broad clover, and many other fuccu- lent plants, are with fome difficulty made into hay; and, in all probability, may be confumed much more profitably as a green than as a dry fodder: becaufe, as foon as they are cut over, the plants quickly vegetate afrefh during the fummer-feafon; and, by being repeatedly cut over, pro- duce 26 duce a much greater weight of forage than if they had been allowed to bring their feeds to maturity, For it is ob{ery- able of almoft all thefe fucculent plants, that they pufh out. very vigorous fhoots foon after they are cut over, which ad- vance with great rapidity until the plant hath attamed nearly its full ftature; af see Wasa i cia A ae after which period, it advances more flowly, tull it at length ,becomes entirely (ane enti cohalalosAa GIB 1 itationary, and is folel; employed about Bsr: Lae en Cz Ale TAY IK7 AG a the formation of its feeds.| Now, if the O plant be always cut when it ap towards that ftationary ftate, it always kept i 1 5 tation; and thus it would feem that a much greater quantity of v egetable matter would be produced, than if it were allow- ed to arrive at greater maturity before each cutting. This is ftill more apparent with regard to Lucerne than broad clover. This plant, if allowed to come to its full fize, will, in a good foil, attain the height of four feet, or a little more, in one feafon. But I myfelf have cut a plant of Lucerne fix times in one feafon, allowing it to be about SS Se—eeaEeEeEIEIaaeeneeee loy ON AGRICULTURE. 27 about twenty inches high before each cut- ting; which gives upwards of ten fect for the growth of one year;—confider- ably more than double the height that it would have reached if it had not been cut at all, And although it be acknow- ledged, that the more fucculent fhoots, obtained in confequence of frequent cut- ting, would not contain fuch a quantity of folid matter, as an equal weight of the better maturated ftalks would have done; yet it does not feem at all probable, that the deficiency arifing from this caufe, would nearly counterbalance the furplus quantity obtained by frequent cutting. This is an object, among many others, that cannot be‘ determined exactly with- out accurate expe=riments. On the other hand, it would feem pro- bable, that fome of the culmiferous plants* or grafles(gramina) properly fo called, being lefs capable of recovering themfelves after being cut over, when the {talks have been allowed to advance ta * Culmiferous plants are fuch as carry an erect hol- Jow jointed ftalk, as wheat, oats, rye,&c LOW|] 5)>? any | | »? | FA 4 a 5 es m es a. TR Oe De 28 DISQUISITIONS any confiderable length(as is evidently the cafe with regard to common rye- grafs*) would afford but poor returns if cut green, although they may yield a very Meee) crop of hay if fuffered to attain a proper degree of maturity. But how- ever great ae probability is that this may be he, cafe, ftill it is no more than a pro- bability. Nor can the farmer hope to arrive at certainty in this cafe, till he knows, by accurate experiment, not only the exact qualities of each of thefe plants when green or dry, but alfo the quantity of each that can be produced upon the fame foil. with equally fkilfal manage ment. YY V. Some plants that may be equally nou- rifhing to“animals, and that equally re- quire to be confumed green, may never- thelefs differ in this refpe@, that one clafs * Lolium Perenne. Properly, perennial darnel-grafs, improperly called rye-grafs; as there is another plant, Jecale villefum, properly called rye-grafs, that has no other Englifh name, may a ON AGRICULTURE 26 may be more economically confumed by having the plants cut, and given by hand in that{tate to the animals that feed upon. them, while another clafs may be more profitably confumed by being depaftured by animals. Required, a lift of each of thefe two claffes of plants. S$ S§ It will be in general allowed, that the two plants mentioned above, broad clover and Lucerne, are more advantageoufly confumed when cut and given green by the hand, than when paftured upon. Pro- bably, this may likewife be, in fome mea- fure, the cafe with all quick-fhooting ftrong-ftemmed plants, that do not grow clofe enough at the root to form a firm bottom for animals to bite upon. It is likewife probable, that, in general, fuch clofe-growing leafy graffes as require to be con{umed green, and other weak fuccu- lent trailing plants, which run along the ground, and form a thick{ward there, but do not rife quickly to a great height, fo as to admit of being readily cut by the fcythe, would be more profitable for pafturage.— But, here again, we are in the r egion of probability; 30. DIS OVASEFPLONS PP] probability; nor do we as yet know, with any degree of certainty, either the differ- ent plants reducible to each of thefe claffes, or the feveral limitations that in particu- lar circumftances might take“place with regard to any of thefe. On this fubjeét, it may not be impro- per to take notice of a circumftance that ought not by any means to be overlooked by thofe who are obliged to fupply the want of accurate experiments, by proba- ble reafoning from detached faéts that ac- cidentally occur.—It is this: by accurate obiervations, any one may foon be{atif- fied, that if the fower-ftalks of the greater part of culmiferous graffes are deftroyed after they are fully formed, the plants do not attempt to form other flower-ftalks that feafon, but run afterwards chiefly to leaves, and fpread by their roots. Now, if inthis ftate thefe plants are allowed to remain for any confiderable length of time, without being either paftured upon or cut, the leaves gradually ftop from growing,—remain after that for fome time ftationary, and then fade away, if they are not fo luxuriant as to rot; and 5 in ON AGRICULTURE. 31 in this way, the whole produce of a field may requently amount to no more than a few inches in length ina feafon. But if thefe leaves had been cut over, or afrefh bit down by the animals pafturing upon the field feveral times, the vegeta- | tion would at each time have been re- newed, and it would have. proc wee per- haps five or fix times more than if this re- ot peated croppil had been omittex is 1c ‘Oo This I once had an’ opportunity of be- ing fatisfied of experimentally, with regard to two plants of theep’ s fefcue-grais*, cc which grew upon the fame foil,—were in equal healt and in every other re{pect alike when the experiment was.tried.. The leaves of eachrof thefe two plan, before the end of May, or beginnin; ea June, Oo RS) P< Go had advanced to about a ea s in length, and after that remained quite{tationary for fome weeks:—Obferving which, I cut off with a fharp knife, all the leaves of one 1 of the plants quite clofe by the ground; and ina very few days it pu ufhed out a fet of freth leaves with great vigour. Thefe — (ae) were cut three or four feveral times during e * Feffuca ovina. the at, 3. DES@UISTTIONS the remaining part of the feafon, wher about the height of three inches at each time; although it was not poffible to re- mark the fmalleft increafe of one blade upon the other plant, during all that time. From this experiment, it would feem that we might fairly draw the following obvious corollary, wz. That if graf, in thefe circumftances, is to be confumed either by pafturing or cutting, it is the greatef{t want of economy to allow it to remain long between each of thefe opera- tions; and if we mean to reap the full profit from the field, the oftener thefe cut- tings are repeated, after the grafs is of‘a fufficient length for a bite to the animals which may pafture upon it, or for the {cythe to ftrike it, fo much the better. From this experiment, we may farther infer, that it will be in general perhaps more for the advantage of the farmer, to con- fume grafles of this fort by pafturage than by cutting; for, as thefe grafles are al- ways oe clofer at the roots than the top, when we attempt to cut them by the {cythe, unlefs the field is as fmooth as a bowling-green, a great deal of the clofet of ON AGRICULTURE: 33 of the pile will efcape the edge of the {cythe, and be loft. And if thefe cuttings are frequently repeated, the proportion that this under-ftubble’ will bear to that which is above the fcythe, muft be at each cutting very confiderable. And as the ftems, when cut over, do not for the moft part continue to advance afterwards, but die, and are{ucceeded by freth thoots that{pring up from the roots, all of thefe {tubbles are entirely loft; which, in thefe circumftances, might perhaps amount nearly to one-half of the whole produce of the field; a great part of which ae perhaps have b¢en faved, if the fie ae been judicioufly paftured upon. Bu can be kept firm on the furface, and oe as a bowling-green, fo as to fu {cythe to cut clofe, perhaps more benefit would be derived from cutting than paf- turage, as no parts of the field could eae the fcythe, though it is well known that no art can make animals eat down Ve: Hie be @ the grafs of a field quite equall not greatly over-ftocked. You. If. D VI. I ; j | | | yy 34 DISOVUISTETONS V1. As the value of any plant, confidered as a food for animals, varies greatly, ac- cording to the feafon of the year when it is in perfection—Wanted, A lift of al! the plants that could be moft commodi- oufly employed. for food to each different kind of animal at each particular feafon: —That is to fay, of plants that are in the greateft perfection in fummer,—or au- tumn,—or winter,—or{pring. S$ S§$ The variations that take place with re- gard to the growth of plants, at different feafons, have been hitherto but too little attended to by the farmer; fo that were it not for the obfervations of the florift and botanift, we fhould be apt to think, that all plants were naturally difpofed to vegetate chiefly in the fummer-feafon; advancing always with a vigour in fome degree proportioned to the warmnefs of that feafon, if not deprived of a due degree of moifture. But the curious gardener knows well, that, however neceflary the f{ummer’s heat may ON AGRICULTURE. 35 may be for bringing to perfe@tion the greateft part of the plants that he culti- vates, yet there are fome plants endowed by nature with fuch particular powers of vegetating, as to grow with the greateft vigour, fome at one feafon, and that alone, and others at another. Thus the common {affron-plant begins to advance towards the end of autumn,— fhoots up with vigour during the winter, and, having at- tained its fall length in the{pring, gra- dually declines as the fummer z Te eacecs and dies away entirely in the month of June, when the greatett part of the plants Wer Tear are an full vigour. The fnow- drop,—vernal crocus,—tulip,— narcifius, and many other bulbous- rooted plants, advance early in the fpring, and decline before midfummer; s—as alfo the com- mon chickweed, lambs-lettuce,&c. Car- nations, and many other late fl wering plants, remain inaétive during the Bouin: ning of fummer, and only adtante haftily towards perfection in autumn. The horfe- chefnut-tree makes its whole annual fhoots in a few weeks on the frft a approach of fummer, and has entirely{topped its pro- grefs for that feafon long before the ath D 2 or { Zz See Te§ " stl u Le a acti TS AI te , 36 DISQUISITIONS or the oak have difcovered the f{mallef? fymptom of vegetation: and this laft, as well as the beech, after having made one fhort fhoot in the beginning of fummer, {tops entirely for feveral weeks, and then, towards autumn, begins anew to vegetate, with much greater vigour than befote Now, as we have remarked thefe varia tions in the feafon of vigorous ve be in thefe plants, is it not probable, that fomething of the fame'-kind may take place with regard to fome of thofe plants that are, or may be cultivated by the far- merf—It would furely be of importance GAs rtl—If there are, What are the plants that pro- duce this effe€t upon each particular{pe- cies of animals? $ Ss§ Many reafons occur to make it appear probable, that there are fome plants en- dowed with this peculiar quality: and although it would be of great importance to the farmer, on many occafions, to know thefe, yet, if any of them are at all known to fome individuals, that knowledge is by no means fo general as it ought to be. Thofe farmers in England, who are in the practice of rearing houfe-lambs, are {aid to have it in their power to make the ewe take the ram at any feafon they may incline, by making them feed upon fome plants they keep for that purpofe, com- monly faid to be thyme, or fome other aromatic plants. But, as I never had an opportunity smi, iad| == pane aceasta=-;= ae———_> i ala"rm ee a——————————_— ON AGRICULTURE. 59 opportunity of being fully fatisfied as to this faGt, it is, perhaps, neceflary to fut- pend our belief of it till it is duly authen- ticated*. I have likewife been informed, that, in feveral parts of Scotland, the inhabitants are in the practice of pulling a certain plant that grows upon uncultivated fields, that they diftinguifh by the name of bull- ing-grafs; a handful of which they give to their cows at any time they wifh them to take the bull; which, it is faid, never fails to produce the defired effect. But as I neither know if this faét can be certainly relied upon, nor the name of the plant, it were to be withed that fome of thofe who live in the place where this is practifed, would take the trouble of informing or undeceiving the public with regard to this circumitance. * From faéts that have come to my knowledge fince the above was written,| am inclined to believe that more is to be afcribed to the breed of fheep, than any peculia- rity of management. But this alfo requires to be proved. Note to the fourth Edition. + hs Sie 60 DISQUISITIONS - XIV. ‘ THe milk of domeftic animals is of great importance to man; and, therefore, every particular that relates to it, ought to be examined with attention. And as it is well known, that fome plants make the animals that feed upon them yield a greater quantity of milk than others would have produced-—Required—An exaé lift of fuch vegetables as are endowed with this quality in the higheft degree, with regard to each{pecies of domeftic animals. SS Ss Chickweed* is by many thought to caufe cows to give an extraordinary quantity of milk.—Spurry, or yarr+, as it is called in fome parts of Scotland, is thought by fome to poffefs the fame quality in an eminent degree; on which account, it is fometimes cultivated in Holland, as an ufeful plant, although it is here found to be a very pernicious weed. Cattle, in- deed, prefer it, when green, to almoft any * Alfine media.+ Spergula. other = ae a eee. eee a = Se ea ON-AGRICULTFURE.‘61 other plant; and fheep are exceedingly fond of it. RY. Ir is likewife probable, that fome plants may tend to make the milk thicker, and produce a greater proportion of cream than others do. If this is fo—Required— A lift of fuch plants as produce this effect, compared with thofe that promote the quantity of mulk. XVI. Some plants communicate to the milk of the animal which feeds upon them, a very difagreeable tafte; while others, on the contrary, give it a more pleafant fla- vour.—Required—A lift of fuch plants as produce the one. or the other effect, with regard to each{pecies of domeftic animals. S S$ 8 Tt has been often remarked, that cows which fed upon certain paftures, afforded putter of a richer and more agreeable tafte 5 than 62, Die QUILTS Tilo Nees than could be obtained from other paf{- tures; which would feem to be occafion- ed by certain plants abounding more in the one of thofe paftures than in the other:—Yet I have heard of no accurate experiment that has hitherto been made, to afcertain, with any degree of certainty, what were the particular plants that either tended to debafe it in the one cafe, or im- prove it in the other. It is, indeed, true, that the tafte commu- nicated to milk and butter by fome plants, is fo exceedingly{trong and difagreeable, that no perfon could avoid remarking it, Of this kind are turnips, which communj- cate to milk a naufeous tafte, that is ex- tremely difagreeable to mott people*, Wild * Ifthe milk is to be ufed fweet, this difagreeable tafte may be confiderably diminithed by boiling it. Other means of{weetening milk have been attempted, that are more troublefome and expenfive, and not more effica- cious. It may be of confequence to remark, that, in general, "that part of the milk which comes firft from the cow when milked, is much more ftrongly impregnated with any peculiar flavour than what comes laft; and as that is alfo the thinneft and leaft valuable part of the milk, it may be taken ON AGRICULTURE. 63 Wild garlic, hemloc, and fome_ other plants, likewife affect the milk with their own difagreeable flavours. But taken away, and applied to any other inferior domeftic ufe, without diminithing, in-any fenfible degree, the pro- ducts of the dairy. By thus feparating the firft from the laft drawn milk, the quality of the butter will be at all times very much improved, and the quantity hardly diminithed in any fen- fible degree. For| have found, by experiment, that a fmall quantity of milk, which comes the laft from the cow, contains about fixteen times more cream than an equal quantity that comes the firft at. once milking,—and that the cream is alfo of a much richer quality; the co- lour ofthe one being of a deep orange, while that of the other is as white as the paper on which| write. Hence we may infer, by way of corollary, that no method of rearing calves can be fo beneficial for a dairy, as that ufually practifed in the Highlands of Scotland, where it is the univerfal cuftom to allow the calf to fuck its mother for fome time, and then drive it away, and milk what remains in the cow’s udder. By this means, the expence of milking is much abridged—the calves are fuckled more kindly than by the hand—and the quantity of butter not much diminifhed: But the greateft ad- vantage is, that the butter is thus rendered of the fineft quality that could poffibly be defired. It has, indeed, been often remarked, that well-made Highland butter is of the fineft quality that can be found any where; but this circum{tance, which contributes fo much to its per- fection, has, I believe, been over-looked. It 64 DISQUISITIONS Es rae >> 7. put the moit uncommon initance or this kind, that has come to my know- ledge, was a cafe that I happened to a wi- dow lady of my acquaintance, whofe cows, at one particular time, yielded milk that was fo.{trongly impregnated with a peculiar kind of bitter tafte, that no per- fon could ufe it in any way; which fur- prifed her a good deal, as the cows had often been allowed to pafture on the fame field, without| laving had their milk fen- fibly impregnated with that difagreeable tafte. Upon exa nining into what bie caufe of that fingular phenomenon, it was difcovered,, that as the cows had been kept upon another field for fome time before, the grafS upon this field had been allowed to advance pretty far without being cropt. And as it was full of the rough-leaved dande- lion*, which was then in full flower, it was imagined the peculiar flavour of the It deferves to be noted, that there is not near fuch a difference between the firft and laft drawn milk of an old calved cow, as of one that has but lately calved, * Leontodon hifpidum. This plant is fometimes. call- ed Hawkweed, and ranked by Ro otanifts under the ge- neric name of HMieracium. milk ce ee =>——— 4 i 4 : renga Se SPEIRS Fe rach # ON AGRICULTURE.%, milk was occafioned by the cows’ crop- ping thefe flowers in greater quantities than at any other time; which appeared the more probable, as it was obferved that this bitter tafte was not perceived in the milk, after the cows had remained in that field for a few days, when the flowers of this plant were almoft entirely confumed. As I have not had an opportunity of trying any experiment, that could afcer- tain the truth of this conjecture, I would not defire that it fhould be relied upon as an undoubted fact; but from the cir- cumftances above narrated, it feems ex- tremely probable, that the flowers and flower-ftalks of plants are fometimes endowed with qualities, in this refpeét, very different from thofe of the leaves; which ought to afford a leffon of cau- tious circumfpection to the experimental farmer. Although it is by no means certain that plants, in all cafes, communicate the fame flavour to milk, as that with which they affeét our palate in their natural ftate; yet as we know. that this fometitnes Vor il. F happens ee aa 66 DISQUISITIONS happens, it may, perhaps, in fome cafes, affift us a little in difcovering fuch plants as may probably affect it, either with an agreeable flavour, or the reverfe,—ferving, at leaft, to point them out as proper fub- jets for future experiments, intended to éelucidate this point. With this view, having chewed, at different times, many different kinds of graffes that grow natu- rally in our fields and meadows, I was particularly ftruck with the agreeable aromatic flavour of the common vernal grafs*, which feemed to approach fo nearly to the rich almond-like flavour which is always obfervable in the fineft butter, that I refolved to gather fome of the feeds, and fow them by themfelves, with a view to feed a cow for fome time upon this plant by itfelf, to difcover what effeét it would have upon the flavour of the milk. The feeds are faved, and are fowed; but it will neceffarily be a confiderable time before the refult can be with certainty dif- covered-+}. * Anthaxanthum odoratum. + After trial, I found that this grafs yielded fuch a fcanty crop, as not to afford a proper quantity of pro- vender to make the experiment. XVII. ON AGRICULTURE. 6% XVII. Some plants communicate to milk a rich yellow colour, and others render it pale, and almoft colourlefs.—Required, a lift of each of thefe clafles of plants, with refpe@t to all the different claffes of:do- mettic animals. S$ S S It is commonly imagined, that the butter which is of the deepeft yellow co- Jour, is alfo the richeft in tafte:—And al- though it feems probable, that this may be in general the cafe, and that many of the plants that anfwer the one of thefe intentions, may anfwer the other put pote alfo, yet it is by no means certain that thefe are not fometimes disjoined. For I have often met with butter of a very rich Havour, with little colour, and the re- verfe; fo that it would be of confequence to the farmer, to have a lift of the plants poflefiing thefe two qualities{eparately made out. It is a vulgar prejudice, founded upon me very a! a Sor 68 DISQUISITIONS very inaccurate obfervations, that plants which produce yellow flowers, in general tinge the butter with their own colour; than which hardly any opinion could be more abfurd. Yet, upon no better foun- dation refts the general prejudice in fa- vour of paftures that abound with the butter-flower*, which has evidently de- rived its name from that circumftance; although more accurate obfervations fhow, that fo far is it from being beneficial to cows, that they refufe to tafte the plant, till they are reduced to the createft dif- trefs by hunger. XVII. Probably, fome plants increafe the rich- nels of the milk, but do not produce a proportional quantity of cream;—fome certainly make it atford cheefe of a finer quality, and probably in greater quanti- ties, than others. If fo—Required, a lift of fuch plants as produce the fineft cheefe, as well as of thofe that canfe milk to yield the greateft quantity of it. * Ranunculus repensy—bulbofus. ON AGRICULTURE. 6y S S& It has been often rémarked, that if milk be of a very thick confiftence, the cream is not fo perfeétly feparated from it as if it were thinner:—That is, if water be added to it, more cream will be feparated from it, than if it had got no mixture. But in that cafe, both the butter, cream, and whey, are poorer in quality, than if it had not been mixed:, And as milk, naturally thin, is nearly in the fame ftate, as thick milk when mixed with water, it {eems probable, that if any plant tends to render the milk thicker, it will’not af- ford an additional quantity of cream pro- portioned to the richnefs of the milk*,. But if this 1s converted into cheefe, we may expect that it would afford a greater * In the laft note, I have taken notice of the diffe- rence between the firft and laft drawn milk. After the whole of the cream was feparated from the laft drawn, the milk that remained was thicker and richer, in every refpect, than the cream of the firft drawn. The milk of the firft drawn refembled water coloured with milk: -—that of the laft was thick like cream; and the whey of it, when made into cheefe, was richer than the milk of the other.: F 3 proportion ieee— 72 DISOUISITIONS proportion of curd, and that of a richer quality: For goat’s milk, which feparates no. cream, yields a very large proportion of curd, as well as the richett whey:— Sheep’s milk, which is likewife thick, and feparates little cream, comes next to it in both thefe qualities:—after thefe, in all thofe refpects, comes cow’s milk; and, laft of all, the milk of. mares and affes, which‘are thinner, and more watery than any of the others,:, It may likewife happen, that, fome plants, which caufe butter to have a.very difagreeable_tafte, may probably yield cheefe of an uncommonly agreeable fla- vour; as we require a more acrid tafte in the laft than in the firft. This ought, therefore, to be attended to.| XIX. it is imagined, that fome plants may communicate to the flefh of animals that are fed upon them, a peculiar kind of fla- vour, which may be in fome cafes agree- able, and in others the reverfe.—A lift of the plants that tend to produce the one OF = ON AGRICULTURE. 71 or the other of thefe effeéts, would there- fore be a valuable acquifition to the farmer. S S§$ Turnips are ufually thought to commu- nicate a flight kind of naufeous tafte to the beef or mutton that has been fatted “by them;‘and mutton that has been fed ‘upon-dry hills abounding with heather*, is commonly faid to have a peculiarly “agreeable relifh: But the flefh of fheep that*have* been fed upon mug-wort*f, 1s faid to be of a bittér tafte. The hogs that are fed upon the acorns that they gather in the woods of Germany and Po- land, are reckoned to yield the fineft ba- con of any in Europe; and it is to this circumftance that moft people afcribe the {uperior excellence of Weftphalia hams, which have long retained their celebrity. —But the bacon of Virginia, where the hogs are fatted upon Indian corn, apples, and peaches, is by many deemed{till fu- perior to thefe;—and that which is fed * Erica communis.+ Artemifia vulgaris. LA upon EE i I Ot eT= “is Tre SSE POR FES Pe. WS iie ao aaa 72°.-DASOUISITIONS upon grains or dairy wath, is reckoned much inferior to all of them.—But as it is not altogether certain, whether the dif- ference in the quality of the meat, pro= duced in thefe different places, is to be entirely attributed to the favour commu- nicated by the food, or if it may not, in fome meafure, be owing to the nature of the animal itfelf, or to fome other cir- cumiftance not ufually attended to; we muit here, as in other cafes, with for a courfe of accurate experiments, EX As many unfuccefsfyl attempts have been made to introduce plants or animals from one country into another, and as fome attempts of this fort have fucceeded as well as could have been withed for, even when they were brought from very diftant countries, it would be of ufe to the farmer, before he attempted| any thing of that fort, to be made acquainted with the nature of the climate from which he intended to bring them, as well as the particular nature and economy of fuch ar=a: rs ce IO ON AGRICULTURE. 93 fuch plants or animals, as. he withed to encourage, that he might be able to give a probable guefs, before-hand, whether {uch attempts could be attended with{uc- cefs or not. S S S The fubject enquired into in this dif- quifition, may perhaps be deemed very uninterefting to the farmer; and yet, up- on a nearer infpection, it will probably be allowed, that had this been duly attended to by philofophical promoters of agricul- ture, many improvements might have taken place in this art, with which we are as yet entirely unacquainted; and many unfuccefsful attempts might have been prevented, that have tended to diftrefs in- dividuals, and, of confequence, to hurt the community: For, thefe unfuccefsful at. tempts naturally tend to difcourage others from trying experiments of the fame kind, even where there may be a much creater probability of their being attended’ with fuccefs:: The following hints, therefore, tending in fome meafure: to remove this difficulty, however imperfeét, it is hoped, a) —>:=> s ara OE a DD eng - r*~, tO A| } q _ aR iat tro DISQUISITIONS |_ to confirm it, as appears No. XX. pass i || to which I refer the reader. The fubjec|| Hae: g 0 L| is of great importance, and, thercfore, ( 4°. it oucht to be difcuffed with all the coolnefs AY ie ie 1 | and circumf{peétion imaginable... if t | XXVIII. Does the finenefs, or any other quality : of the wool, vary with the age of the fheep'—Or, is the weight of the fleece increafed or dimintfhed by a difference in this refpect? BS OSes The price of wool is fo low in Britain, it and the value of the fleece here, bears ie fuch a{mall proportion to that of the car- vail cafe, that lefs attention has been beftowed to the circumftances that may vary it, than the importance of it, to the country in general, would feem to deferve;—we have, therefore, fo few opportunities of feeing old fheep, that our experience can only furnifh grounds for flight conjec- tures on this head.—Probably, more fatif- faction could be obtained from Spain than any ON AGRICUL TUR B17 any other country at prefent, with regard to this and the other difquifitions relating to wool, as it has been long a ftaple com- modity with them, and almoft the only vendible produce of their flocks; fo that it muft neceffarily have claimed a great fhare of their attention.—It'feems, how- ever, to be, in general, allowed, that the weight of the fleece diminifhes with the age of the fheep, after a certain period. XXIX. Is there any mode of management that would tend to make a greater quantity of wool be produced upon the body of the fame fheep, than there would have. been if it had been treated in another manner? —If there is, what is it? S$ 8S§$ The French have of late beftowed a very particular degree of attention upon their woollen manufactures, and have {pared no pains to meliorate their wool, and improve their breed of fheep. By an experiment, 2\DISQ@UISbFLONS experiment, conducted under the direétion of the Intendant of Normandy, with this view, it appears, that fheep which are kept all the year in the open air, yield fleeces about one-fourth part more weigh- ty thanthe fame kind of fheep which were kept at night, and in bad weather, under a covered fold; and the wool of the firft was likewife of a much better quality in every refpeét.—Whether any other mode of treatment tends to produce a fimilar effect, deferves to be enquired into. XXX: Can the quantity or guality of the wool be improved or debafed by any particular mode of managing the fheep, or by ap- plying any particular fubftances. to the {kin of the animal, while the wool is— growing'—If it can, what are the cir- cumftances, or the fubftances, that pro- _ duce this effe&t? S S$§$ In every fheep-country, there are many nofirums and particular. recipes handed about, or generally adopted, which are believed to contribute to the improve- ment a—-= See-- al Oh tia nie ee or, Rat ge- ° ON AGRICULTURE. yrs ment of the wool in fome of the ways above mentioned. But thete are, i many cafes, fo evidently ufelefs, and feem, in general, to have been cabal with fo little reafon, that an enumeration_ of {uch of them as may have come to my knowledge would be only tirefome to the reader; a which reafon they are here omitted.—A_ judicious experimental phi- lofopher, ae ever, who would invefti- gate this matter in a proper manner, and elucidate the fubject by decifive ex- periments, would do an effential fervice to his country; as, m all probability, our future fuccefs in the woollen manufacture will depend upon our attending more par- ticularly to the article of wool, than we have done for more than a hundred years paft; during which period, there is very great reafon to fufpe@, that the quality of the wool in England, inftead of growing better, has become fenfibly worfe, while that of our neighbours on the Continent has been greatly improved*. * See Obfervations on the means of exciting a Spirit ef National Induftry, Lett. 1V, V, VI, VII, and VIII, where all the above queftions relating to fheep and wool are particularly illuftrated. WOOL scr. I XXXI. 14 DISQUISITIONS XXXI. Ar what age can animals of each par- ticular clafs be fattened, with the greateft facility? and at what period of life is the meat of each kind in the higheft per- fection, fuppofing it to be equally fat- tened? aN S S oS: While animals are young, and growing vigoroufly, as a great proportion of the food they eat goes towards increafing the fize of the body, it is natural to expect that thefe will be with more difficulty brought into full fatne(s, than thofe which have previoufly attained their full ftature: but if the fleth of thefe young animals is much efteemed, it may often happen, that the owner of them may have more profit by feeding them even under this difad- vantage, than by keeping them till they attain their full maturity. It, therefore, becomes a queftion in rural economics, in what cafes the one or the other of thefe modes of feeding ought to be adopted? which e ®N AGRICULTURE. 15 which could be the eafier folved, did we know exactly what was the Peparut difference of the expence of feec ling differ- ent claffes of animals in each of thefe cafes. With regard to the laft part of the query—lIt is fufficiently well known, that young mutton is never fo agreeable to the palate, as that which hath attained to full maturity; but how long it continues to improve, does not feem, as yet, to have been fo fully afcertained as it ought to be. There does not feem to be nearly fuch a difference between young and. old beef or pork;-and therefore the farmer is, or ought to be, under lefs reftraint with re card to thefe. XXXIT. Do different claffes of animals require an equal quantity of food in Se to their fize?—lIf there is any difference in this refpe@t, what is the exaét amount thereof, with refpect to each particular {pecies of domeftic animals, when com- pared with others? I 2{t Pe tate megeiyae tS Se ee 116 DISQUISITION® S Sf Ss It is certain, that if we compare very different orders of animals with one an- other, we will difcover a prodigious dif- ference in this refpe¢t.—A caterpillar will confume in a day more than double its own weight of food, while the chamelion would be fuftained for months upon a like proportion of food: The camel is likewife believed to require a much f{maller quan- tity of food, in proportion to its fize, than almoft any other quadruped. But, to come to thofe in which we are more nearly interefted, it is univerfally believed, that a horfe requires a greater quantity of food to fuftain it, than an ox of the fame weight: But I have never yet heard of any experiment that has accu- rately determined what is the exact pro- portion in this refpe¢ét. Common opinion {eems to place it at different proportions; fometimes rating the horfe at double the ox, and fometimes at only one-third more. For, in many parts of the country, the price ot the fummer-food of an ox, is pre- cifely ¢ ON AGRE CULTURE. 17 cifely one-half of that of the horfe; but, in other places, the difference is only as four to fix. Whether either of thefe is exact, or which of them is neareft the truth, deferves to be afcertained with pre- cifion: But, as the opinion is fo univerfally prevalent, that the horfe requires a greater quantity of food in proportion to his fize than the ox,—the probability is, that he really does fo. As the other kinds of domeftic animals differ more:in fize from one another than thefe do, it is not fo eafy to make a com- parifon between them; but as it is poffi- ble they may vary confiderably from‘one another in this refpeét, the farmer mutt remain very much in the dark with re- eafd to avery effential branch of his bufi- néfs, till this be determined with pre- cifion. AXXII. We obferve, that there are a great many varieties of each particular{pecies of ani- mals, that are diftinguifhed from others of the fame fpecies, by certain peculiarities [3 which AO ORE Te 118 DISQUISITIONS which are, on many occafions, eafily per- ceptible. Thefe varieties among the brute animals, have been utually diftinguithed, among farmers, by the appellation of dif- ferent breeds,’ as they have fuppofed that their diftinguifhable qualities are at leaft in a certain degree tranfmiflible to their defcendants; although’ Naturalifts, over- looking thefe diftinétions, confider each of thefe bree. as only an accidental variety of the individual, which hath little or no influence upon their progeny.— Query, therefore, whether thefe different breeds, as they are called, of any one clafs of do- meitic animals, is really a- difting tribe, endowed with the power of tranfmitting to its potterity all its diftinguifhing pro- perties, fo long as it is prevented from in- in —) termixing by copulation with other breeds? —or, are the varieties that we perceive, in this refpect, to be attributed to accidental caufes alone, and not immediately de- pending upon the‘nature of the parent animal? We would imagine, that in a cafe of 10“ai ee ree as this we now treat of, 1. ON AGRICULTURE. 119 of, with regard to which, mankind have had» fo many opportunities of trying ex- periments, and making particular obterva- tions, there could have remained no room to doubt, long before this tyme._ But al- though fcience, in general, tends to im- prove knowledge, on jome occafions it rather confounds and perplexes the under- ftanding. For when we find that the fyftems we have invented, are incapable of explaining all the phenomena that oc- cur, we are but too ready to defpife, with a faftidious pride of mind, thofe phzeno- mena that would perplex our fyftem, and haftily to fay, they owe their exiftence to inaccurate obfervations alone. . This feems, in a particular manner, to have been the cafe in the prefent inftance. And although it is impoffible for any reafoning to get the better of daily ex- perience, fo far as to make a man believe direGtly the reverfe of what he fees with his own eyes; fo as that nothing can con-, vince the farmer that the nature of the animal from which he breeds will not have fome influence upon its progeny;— yet it has fo far prevailed, as to induce 4 almoft mo DISQUISITIONS almoft every farmer to believe, that, unlefs in the particular cafes which-have oc- curred to himfelf, all the other varieties obfervable in the breeds of animals, are either entirely occafioned, or much influ- enced, by peculiarities of foil, food, or cli- mate. So that in no inftance do we meet with fuch an unaccountable difcordance between general opinion and particular practice, as in this very cafe. That all the qualities which ferve to diftinguifh particular breeds of animals from one another, can, in fome cafes, be tran{fmitted without alteration to their pofterity, for ever, if they are carefully kept from copulating with other breeds of the fame kind, feems to be fully demonftrated by what we obferve with regard to dogs; the different varieties of which are en- dowed with fuch remarkable peculiarities, as to ferve to point out the particular breed with fo much certainty and facility, 4. as makes it impofiible for any one not to perceive at once if the breed has been de- bafed: And our experience with regard to. them‘is fo‘univerfal, as to leave no room for the moft ignorant to doubt, that all ON"*AGRICU L TIRE. Trae all the varieties of thefe that we meet culiar diftinguifhing natural talents that they poffefs; and that theie’are in no cafe to be attributed to any diverfity of food, or any other circumftance whatever. The fame thing is alfo, in a great mea- fure, remarked with regard to the horfe; —although the different varieties of this animal are not fo diftin@tly marked as -thofe of the dog-tribe; and, therefore, the proofs of the fact in difpwte, are not fo palpably evident as in the other cafe. Yet we would furely laugh at the abfurdity of that man, who thould hope to rear a large-boned weighty dray-horfe, by breed- ing with a fine Arabian mare and{tallion; or, who would expect to have a light-run- ning horfe from a father and mother of the dray-breed, let him feed them in what- ever manner he may incline. And al- though the different breeds of horfes are almoit infinite, and few of them fo much different from each other, as in the above example; yet, it is obfervable, that the prevailing breed in any one diftrid,‘al- ways continues of the fame kind, fo long vi a mM a Zw) mn re DPS yy tf? FON 5 as the inhabitants of that diftri€t continue to breed from them, whatever alterations they may make in the general culture of the country, and nature of the paftures. Nor do thefe horfes ever alter their quati- ties, if they are carried to another diftriét, where another breed, of very oppofite qua- lities, in general, prevails, but each re- tains its diftinguifhing qualities to the lait, although they fhould continue to eat the fame food, and be treated, in every refpeét, alike, to the lateft hour of their lives. Nor is the cafe in the leaft different with regard to cattle, fheep, and hogs,— and perhaps all other animals. For, let a hundred different breeds“of either of thefe kinds of animals be brought from as many different places, and fed upon one common pafture as long as you in- cline, each of thefe will continue to pre- ferve every mark of diftinétion from all the others, fo long asit lives.—But if they ‘are allowed to breed promifcuoufly, the progeny would neceflarily be a mongrel breed, participating of the nature of each \ of | | a ONM-AGRICUREURE? LS) {aa of the parents who thould have contribut- ed to produce them. Many other arguments migh duced to fhow that we have the ereateft réafon to‘believe, that each’ particular breed of other animals propagates its ow! kind with as little variation as is acknow- ledged to be the cafe with dogs, fo long s they remain unmixed with others. But thefe, to avoid prolixity, I omit.—I could not, he OWEVET, avoid throw ing out thefe obfervations on a fubjeét of fo much im- J portance; as the erroneous opinions that have fo long prevailed with r rega ara tora 7 have been in fome cafes attended with hefe hints fhall inc he fubjeé confequences highly detrimental to the 1 coming Ae 7 t others to examine t Cr pare) ned aA joke Q° Gu r & + pa ©. » ‘< e tron; I fhall be perfec * See this fubje&t more particularly illuftrated, in the firft appendix to Dr. Pallas’s account of Ruffian fheep, publifhed by the author; and in Obfervations on the Means of exciting a Spirit of National Induftry, p. 123,—130. Note te the fourth Edition. I XXXIV. 124 DISQUISITIONS XXXIV. If different breeds of domettic animals do, on many occafions, poffefs particular qualities, that differ very effentially from thofe pofieffed by other breeds of the fame clafs of animals; and if thefe qualities are tran{miffible to their pofterity, without alteration, fo long as the breed remains unadulterated by an admixture with others; it will bea matter of the utmoft confequence to the farmer, to be well ac- uainted with the nature and diftineuith- 9 S ing qualites of every particular breed of all thofe animals that he may have it in his power to rear, that he may thus be enabled to choofe only that particular breed which pofieffes, in, the higheft de- gree, thofe qualities of which he means chiefly to avail himfelf.—Wanted, there- fore, an exact lift of all the various breeds of domeftic animals, with a particular {pecification of all thofe qualities for which each breed is peculiarly remark- able. There ONS AGRICULTURE.§ rey There feems to be great reafon to be- lieve, that the feveral breeds of domeftic animals differ more from one. another with refpeét to fome of thofe qualities that may make them more or lefs valuable to the farmer, than is in general appre- hended at prefent. The gentlemen of the turf and menage talk with the utmoft confidence of different degrees of vigour, perfevering ftreneth, hardinefs, and even mental qualifications, if I may ufe that expreffion, of the different breeds of horfes. Thofe of Spain are much prized, as well for their external beauty, as for thei judgment and memory. The barbe is deemed naturally more indolent; although he is capable of as high exertions either of body or mind, when obliged to it, as almoft any other:—being, in an efpecial manner, capable of continuing in any violent exertion much longer than moft other horfes, although the Arabian courfer Py 4 i is by fome thought to poffefs thefe fame qualities in a ftill hicher decree.— All of x theie r a xs——-*=+ ae a eee— 126 DIS QU ISIh.T bONS thefe require to be nourifhed with Care; and treated with the utmoft circumfpec- tion. On the. contrary Denmark and Friefland are faid to be ftronger and more har dy,—live upon any fare, and are hurt by no fort of bad treat- ment.— The Neapolitan horfes are large and fhowy; but are incapable of any vio- lent ee and are foon exhaufted if they are much put to it.—The fame qua- lities‘are remarked in many of the large- boned fhowy horfes in England; on which account, thofe only are by the connoif- feurs deemed capable of undergoing the violent fatigue of hunting, racing,&c. which have, in the jocky ftyle at leat, Pe blood in their veins. By which is underftood, that they are defcended,‘either by the father or mother, from an Ara- bian, erase, Turkith, Spanifh, or Bar- bary horfe mare: All of which are fuppofed, in an eminent degree, to poffefs great mufcular ftrength and length of wind. But, befides thefe more remarkable dif- tinctions, there are many other varieties of this ufeful animal, reared in different parts the horfes of ON AGRICULTURE. 127 parts of this ifland, and only employed for draught and other ufeful fervices, that are well known to differ from one another as much in their degree of hardi- 1efs, or mettle, as it is ee called, as in their external form and appearance —Some of thefe are of fuch enormous bulk and ftrength, as to drag flowly afte: them the load of an elephant, but are utterly incapable of any violent quicknefs \t of motion.—Others are naturally endow- city ed with greater agility, and lefs bodily ftreneth as to carrying burdens; but are poffeffed of great hardinefs, fo as to be ca- pable of enduring fatigue for a long time, without being hurt by it— Some attain their full degree of ftrength and bodily fe A a a a)(eet ee a NSS.= ia vigour, at a very early period of life, w hile ANC<7 tram Soe others continue long extremely weak, and -. .== A Bye a She ee aay C% incapable of great exertions; but afte Ser ss. ae oO: they arive at fix or eight vears o ge, be- 3 e oS eee:: x Se) Seacoale a Nay al ee os pA Ce ee come hardy, and capable of exerting their — fe ay aries es 4 oe S a lirenethn ror a very ions time without be- @@) ing hurt.—Some are n he q 1s ite ILI ai&{ i i y cool and erfevering: while o¢! re more fier p 15 3\ bat O lCrs, aft 4 1OTEe ficry & pee| 4“Ae ol Oe: lees a- and Petru, and Can hever be Dbrov_ent to : eae s j 1 f\: 1 iz od’ 1 7 ield that{te ud CXEertion ¢ treng tn that oe a 4: r Med 60 ne A Lg seein errr eset m8 DISQUISITIONS the others naturally do.—In fhort, the va- rieties in this refpeét, are fo many and great, that it would require a very exten- five experience, to be able to point them out with any degree of precifion.—But were it once done, it would be of the ut- moft utility to the farmer; as he would then know exactly, what breed would beft anfwer the particular purpofe that he, on any occafion, might wifh' to accom- plith. It ae perhaps, be of ftill greater utility to the farmer, to have all the pecu- i¢ har and ai ftin guifhit 1g qualities of each of the different: breeds ee cattle pointed out with precifion; which probably do not differ lefs from one another than horfes Many att hee ts have of late been made by 1 improving farmers in different parts of Britain, to better the breed of their cattle. But as the particular breeds of cattle that have on thefe occafions been tranfported from one part of the country to another, have been ufually feleéted on account of qualities that they were only /uppofed to poffeis, rather than in confequence of any full — e= eS ae pe ~== se ae> oe eee— — ee ee wa a a ti LEO B OO AA = ON AGRICULTURE. 126 4 full inveftigation of the fubject, by which their real o06e or bad qualities have been pointed out with accuracy; it may be much doubted, if thefe attempts havé been, in many cafes, attended with any be- neficial confequences at all. For, fo long as we are guided in this xe by any other rule than that certainty which refults from “accurate en ciiienrs: it may be naturally fuppofed, that the mind of the danguine improver will be apt to magnify every excellent quality, that he may think he perceives in his favourite breed; while it as naturally diminifhes the good qualjtie 1 of fuch as may be out of favour-at the * raNY Sieea ys| en 1 2 Thus, at one time, the lar oe ie ae EE ae breed of cows were much in vo 7 23 94 Ls] Z. were much more valued than any other / kind:—But, in a few years, it was dif- te fi Lee PEE G0) BUN nee peers ae Ue eS 7 1 covered that they did not poliefs all: the qualities for which they were at firft cried up; and they gradually fell into difefteem. +~Thefe were fucceeded by the York- fhire, which in their turn were fucceeded by the Lancafhire breed; which is at pre- fent more efteemed than any other fort, WoLst i. K and 130 DISQUISITIONS and will probably continue to be fo for a few years; when they, in their turn, will be negleéted, and give place to fome other favourite breed, which accident may re- commend to public favour. In this manner, it may be expected that things will go on, till mankind fhall be- come fo fober-minded, as to be firmly perfuaded, that, perhaps, no one breed of “ye cattle is pofieffed of all the different qua- lities which could be defired on different occafions, and therefore fet themfelves fe- rioufly to diftinguifh from one another the different qualities that may render this animal, on any particular occafion, more or lefs valuable, and then endeavour to difcover which particular breed poffeffes that one quality in the higheft degree.— Uhus, one man, perhaps, requires, above all other qualities, that his cattle be pof- fefled of great bodily ftrength, and a power of exerting the nerves and mufcles for a great length of time, without being fatigued.—-Another, perhaps, difregards this quality, and only withes for an ox that will admit of being fattened quickly, and carry a great weight of beefi—A third, perhaps, — Seed GNEeAGR FOULAURE,» F a Pe perhaps, requires that weight fhould be chiefly in fome particular part of the body.—A fourth, values only the quantity of the milk.—A fifth, is chiefly anxious about its quality;—-while a fixth is, per- haps, more anxious to obtain the beef of a peculiarly fine quality than any of thefe, or values his cattle for fome other pecu- liarity, different from any of thofe above enumerated. But, were we to know with certainty which particular breed pofleifed, in the higheft degree, that peculiar quality we mo({t wifhed for, and the other peculiari- ties that it poffeffed along with this, we {hould be enabled to pick out, with preci- fion, that particular breed which beft{uit- ed our particular purpofe, or the circum- {tances we were in at the time; leaving others to make choice of fome other breed, that might be fll more profitable to them. Hitherto, we have been{fo little accuf- tomed to confider the fubject in this point of view, that it would be in vain to look for facts which could be relied upon, with regard to it, fram the writings or conver- +7° K4{ation = ge<<— ee 9 ee ae————— ae 132- DISQUISITIONS fation of fuch improvers as have endea~ voured to introduce any particular breed into any diftriét: For, thefe kinds of cat- tle are fo much praifed for'every excel- lence when they are in vogue, and fo in- difcriminately decried after that period, that it is next to impoffible to diftinguifh the qualities for which they are truly eitumable, from thofe for which they are by no means remarkable.—It feems, how- ever, to be pretty ae that the large Dutch breed of cows, do ufually yield a very large quantity of milk, although it is but of an inferior quality; while, on the contrary, the{mall delicate Alderney breed of cows are as remarkable for the rich- nefs of the milk, and the delicacy of the butter it affords.—And although the Lan- cathire breed is juft now in favour, and thought in general to poffefs almoft every quality in the highett degree;' yet the in- genious Mr. Young has ventured to affert, that cows of this ee do not yield near {fo much milk, in prope EOS to their fize, as the Suffolk cows; and the Devonthire breed, is by many deemed preferable to them for draught ON AGRICULTURE.§ 123 As to other qualities, there is fo much room for the imagination to magnify or diminifh them, as prejudice may fugeett, that we can hope for nothing decifive vith regard to them, without fair and ac- curate Comparative trials, made under the direction of fome man of probity and dif- cernment. But if it would be of fome ufe to the farmer, to know with accuracy the dif- tinguifhing chara¢teriftics of cach parti- cular breed of cattle, it would be of ftill greater confequence for him to know with certainty, all the varieties that take place with regard to fheep, which, perhaps, ad- mit of a much greater diverfity; and, on account of the value of the fleece, it is probable that it would be of much greater national confequence to have thele accu- rately pointed out.—As no attempt hath as yet been made to afcertain, with any degree of precifion, the diftinguifhing qua- lities of each of the different varieties of this{pecies of animals, it is in vain to hope for any-thing like certainty on this head for fome time to come.—The fol- lowing hints, however, intended to ferve K 3 as oy 134 DISQUISITIONS as a flight beginning for fuch an invetti- gation, it is hoped, will be received with indulgence by the public, on account of the great importance of the fubjec. Many of the peculiarities by which different breeds of theep are diftinguithed from one another, are obvious to the fenfes, and therefore afford an eafy criterion for diftinguifhing them; although it is alfo probable, that they may on fome occafions differ in fome lefS obvious, although not lefs effential re{pecis.—T he following are a few of the moft remarkable peculiarities in refpect of which different breeds of fheep vary from one another*: ft, * At the time this Effay was firft written, the author entertained no doubt but that the fheep was univerfally a wool-bearing animal; wool he confidered as a diftinc- tive peculiarity of the whole genus; and the remarks in the text were all written under the impreflion of this idea. He has reafon, however, now to be fully fatisfied that in this refpect he Jaboured under a miftake, having had the moft decifive proofs that there are many breeds of fheep which never produce one pile of wool, but fhort ftiff hair only, exactly fuch as is produced on horfes. Other kinds of fheep carry fleeces extremely different from thefe, and from each other, as well as from what we commonly exprefs by the word wool, But as thefe ON AGRICULTURE. 135 iff, A very great variation is percep- tible in different breeds of fheep with re- gard to /hape-—The Dorfetfhire theep are tall and light of body, much refembling the camel, in fhape and proportions: and the breed that is moft efteemed and re- commended by Mr. Bakewell, of Leicefter- fhire, are large-bodied and fhort-legged, more refembling the figure of the beaver. —The other varieties of fhape and pro- portions are almoft infinite. And the fame may be faid of all the peculiarities under mentioned. 2d, Some breeds of fheep have horns, and others have none at all.—In Lincoln- -fhire, a horned ftheep is a rarity;—and, on the contrary, in Dorfetfhire, and fome parts of Wales, a{mooth-headed fheep would be looked upon as a fort of wonder. —IJn fome other places, four, fix, or even eight horns, are not uncommon. The horns of fheep are ufually twifted; but fome breeds have long horns, bending a thefe varieties are little known in Europe, what is faid in the text cannot be affected by thefe facis. Note to the fourth Edition. K 4 little aba <= teen ae| OO< Oa: 136 DISQUISITIONS little backward, but not twifted, like thofe of the goat. 34, Ditferent breeds may be fome- times diftinguifhed from one another by the-colour..of their faces: In: Lincoly- fhire, all the fheep have white faces; and in Norfolk, they are as univerfally black. 4th, Different breeds vary in refpedt of the length or fhortnefs of the wool.— The fine combing wool of Lincolnthire, Romney-marth,&c. fometimes meafures half a yard in length*;—the wool of Spain exceeds not two inches; and that of Dorfetihire, Cotfwold, and Leomin- fter, is little longer. 5th,‘They likewife vary from one an- other with regard to the manner in which the wool grows upon the fheep.—Some- times the whole body is uniformly covered , the hairs of which are{lightly interwoven with one another Saco at yf SUA TAL with a coat o WOO} * T have fome wool in my pofleffion that meafures twenty-one inches in length. It was fent to me by Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart. It was taken from the fleece of a Lincolnfhire ram, which when new{horn, weighed twenty-five pounds, ate te the fourth edition. ON AGRICULTURE. 137 8| as if they had been frizzled by art;—as in the Dorfetfhire, and in fome meature the Lincolnthire theep. Sometimes it divides into feparate locks, which on fome occa- fions hang down long and lank, in fome meafure like combed hair; as is the cafe with a breed of{heep common in the South of Scotland. And fometimes thefe mefhes are done up into feparate fmall clofe curls, like a wig of baked hair; as is peculiarly remarked in a breed of fheep in Sologne(a diftriét in France) infomuch that it has there become a common pro- verb, that the wool of Sologne has been curled by the bill of the larks*, the methes are fo{mall, and the curls fo exceedingly clofe. 6t@, They alfo differ from one another in refpect of the finenefS of the pile of the wool.—T he wool of Perfia, Segovia, Leo- minfter, and feveral other parts of Bri- tain, are well known tobe as remarkable for their uncommon degree of finenefs, as that of Cornwall—and of Norway, is for the exceeding coarfenefs thereof; thefe * La vrai laine de Sologne eff celle qui a été frisée par Yes alouettes. being t tr- Tie£4 aSaine PR - ea ee=—_ —= o—=7e—— a a SS ee ee 138. DISQUISITIONS being faid to approach nearer to the nature of hair than wool*, ath, * Tt has been already remarked, that the climate has fome effect upon the quality of the wool of fheep, the fineft wool being moft naturally produced in the coldeft regions; from whence fome may be difpofed too haftily to conclude, that the feveral variations we megt with in this refpect, ought to be attributed to that caufe alone. But, that diftinct breeds of fheep, differ very much from one another in this refpect, independent of the influ- ence of climate, is fufficiently obvious from this circum- ftance, that we find, in different diftri€ts of the fame country, which enjoy an equal temperature of climate, wool of very unequal degrees of finenefs; and fre- quently we meet with fheep, in cold countries, that carry wool of a much coarfer quality than what is found in regions confiderably warmer than they are. Hence, therefore, we ought to conclude, that although warmth of climate invariably tends to make the wool that grows upon any fheep, coarfer than it would have been upon the fame fheep, if it had been in a colder climate, yet that this has no influence on altering the nature of its progeny, nor even of producing any change upon the animal itfelf, longer than it is immediately under the in- fluence of that heat. A Britifh fheep that has been car- ried to the Weft-Indies, is generally fuppofed either to lofe its wool, which I hold to be a doubtful fact; or to acquire a fleece that is coarfer in quality than it origi- nally had(a fact more probable, though ftill it is nat proved)—when it returns to Europe again, affords: a fleece of as fine a wool, as before it went out to that warm A "OW“AGRICULTURE. 139 7th, They likewife differ from one an- other in-colour.—In Europe, white fheep are warm region: It is, however, certain, that in temperate climates, the points of the wool,—that is.to fay, that part of of the fleece which fprings out from-the the fheep’s body during the warm weather in fum- mer,—is Stways much coarfer than that part which grows during the cold weather in winter; the differ- ence between the top or bottom of the fleece being al: Ways in proportion to the difference between the heat and cold that the fheep has experienced at thefe dif ferent feafons, and confequently is.fmaller where fheep perambulate, as in Perfia and Spain, than in countries where they never change place at all: and, in this laf cafe, it is always greater in northern continental coun- tries, than in iflands, as has been already remarked. A variation with regard to the climate, therefore, pro- duces only a temporary change upon the finenefs of the wool of that individual fheep, which is immediately ex- pofed to its influence; but the difference in this refpec, that arifes from a. variation of the breed of fheep, is of a more permanent and invariable nature; as any two fheep, originally of different breeds, not only retain the fame difference between one another, if they are at the fame time carried through any diverfity of climates, but their defcendants alfo retain, at all times, if in equal circum- ftances, the fame difference that was obferved to take place at firft. Hence, therefore, it may happen, that a particular breed of fheep, may carry, at all times, coarfer wool in a cold climate, than another breed which always lives ina warmer region; the influence of the climate noe yo. DIVQOUTSPEYO NS are moft common; and, next to thefe, black are moft frequently feen.— In Perfia ra, not being fo great as to counteract the fuperior influence that is derived from the parent ftock. In faa,| now find, that there is a native breed of fheep in the Lfland of Jamaica, which carrjes finer wool than perhaps any that can be found in Europe. It is of much confequence that the reader fhould accu- rately diftinguifm between thefe two different circum- {tances that influence the quality of the wool of fheep; becaufe, if this is not doae, he will be embarrafled and perplexed by feeming contradictions, that it will be im- poflible for him to explain; fo that he will be apt to re- main irrefolute and undetermined in his conduct. for, if, without this knowledge, he fhould have attempted to improve his wool by bringing fome fine fheep from a colder region to his own, and fhould afterwards find, that, inftead of very fine wool, which they yielded in ther native country, they produced to him no finer wool than his own fheep formerly afforded him, he would be apt to imagine, that the nature of his climate over-ruled every other circumftance fo much, as to bring the fleece of every different kind of fheep into one quality, which he would look upon as the ftandard of his climate or fitua- tion, and therefore might think that it would be in vain for him to attempt improving it——Andif at the fame time he fhould have chanced to bring from a warmer climate another breed, that in their native county yielded wool of a coarfer quality than his own, and fhould after- wards find that the wool produced from thefe fheep, was of the fame finenefs with that of his own fheep, he would be ON AGRICULTURE, tar Perfia, they have wool of three colours; white, reddifh, and filver-grey.—In the province be ftill farther confirmed in his opinion of the over- ruling influence of his climate, and reft fatisfied, that as he could not hope to improve the quality of his wool, fo he need not fear thatit could ever be debafed; and that of courfe, he needs give himfelf no fort of trouble upon that head. But if the foregoing cafe were juft reverfed:—Had the farmer firft chanced to take a fancy for fome fine- woolled fheep that were natives of a warmer region, and tranfported fome of them to his own country, where he found the wool become much finer,than it formerly was; and fhould afterwards, in his travels, meet with another breed in acolder country, that produced ftill finer wool than the other afforded, and, hoping that a fimilar change would refult from a change of place in this cafe as in the former, fhould get fome of thefe alfo tranfported to his own country:—How great, would his amazement be, when he afterwards found, that thefe fheep, inftead of be- ing improved by that change as formerly, had degene- rated fo far as to produce wool of a coarfer quality than either of the former!—Without having known or at- tended to the foregoing diftinction, this phanomenon would have appeared inexplicable. But it would not have been attended with fuch fatal confequences as the liftlefs indolence occafioned by the feeming natural con- clufion that was drawn from the former experiment. Before I conclude this note, it may be proper to re- mark, that although, the change produced upon the quality of the wool by a great variation of. climate is yery > Sie oz——————S A"OO, a Rr » ee——— oe pe ee ee a Se ge a 42 DISQUISITIONS province of Andalufia, in Spaitt, there is a race of fheep, that are brindled, and{pot- ted black and white; and, in the Ifle of Man, there is faid to be another breed that carries wool of a light buff-colour. To thefe may be added, wool of a bright gold- en-colour, a fpecimen of which, I have lately(March, 1797) received from India, of a fine filky-clofs, and delicate: texture: but we know not yet, exactly, where the animal which produced this fleece was bred, or of what kind it is, with abfolute precifion. 8th, They likewife differ from one an- other with re{fpeét to the purity of their wool.—Some breeds have their fleece per-' very confiderable, yet a_/mail variation in that refpe& produces no fenfible change; fo that the farmer may in general difregard this circumftance in the changes that he may think it proper to make, by tranfporting the fheep of one diftri& of the fame country into another diftrid— the variation of the breed, in this cafe, being almoft the only circumftanceé worth attending to. I now farther add(fourth edition) that I have reafon to fufpeG, that there are fome breeds of fheep, which carry wool that is not affected by a variation of climate in thefame manner with that of the breed of fheep which is Commonly reared in Scotland, as defcribed in the fore~ going part of this note. feélly ON AGRICULTURE. 143 fectly free of any mixture whatever, while others have a greater or{maller propor- tion of a particular kind of hair intermixed therewith, that is known in fome parts of of England, by the name of Séiche/ hair: and in the Northern counties, by that of Kemps; and in France, by the appellation of Farre.—This is a kind of fhort Opaque white-like hair, which growsup arnong the fleeces of fome kinds of fheep, that may be eafily diftinguifhed from wool by its dead-lke colour, and by being always thicker at the rocts than towards the points(which is the reverfe with wool) and by having no degree of elafticity.— As no wool that has any mixture of this can be properly dyed, or wrought into any valuable manufacture, it ought to be guarded againft with the contts{crupulous attention. I now alio know(anno 1797) that there are fheep which afford a kind of hair, among their wool, totally differ- ent from that above defcribed, being inva~ riably finer at the points than the roots, and longer than the wool. Other varicties there are befides this alfo. gt, Different races of fheep likewife Vary ° ei A See‘ tr: tmwmescerperan eae a on(ete. ——— 444° DES QOULSITLONS vary very much from one another in’ re- ipect.of fize. In Shetland, there is a breed of fheep, fo fmall, that when full grown and fat, will not weigh above three or four pounds per quarter;—and another, nearly as{mall as this, is kept as a curio- ~ fity, in fome parts of Normandy, in France: ~ whereas, in Flanders, and fome parts of England; it is not uncommon, for a quar- ter of mutton to weigh forty or fifty pounds*. 10th, * We have feen, that although different breeds of fheep vary from one another very much, with regard to the finenefs of their wool, and that this difference be- tween them, fo long as they remain in equal circum- ftances, is permanent and invariable, yet that a variation of the heat of the climate does produce a fenfible effect upon the quality of the wool of fome kinds of fheep; and, in like manner, although there can be no doubt but that there are different breeds of fheep and other ani- mals, differing eflentially from one another with regard to fize, yet it is equally certain, that fome variation may be produced in this refpeét by the nature, abundance, or deficiency of their food. Thus, fuppofing that all the different breeds of fheep were fed upon pafture where they had, at all times, as much good food as they were able to deftroy, and were treated properly in other refpects, there feems to be little doubt, but that fome of thefe would be of a much larger fize than others; whofe defcendants. :- ge 5=— eer>—= ee on cial ES— rc Ce .—— S 5S ON AGRICULTURE, ae 1oth, They alfo differ from one another by the length of their tails\—In Scotland, the defcendarits, in thefe circumf{tances, would contiriue to retain the fame difference for ever, if they were fuffered to copulate with one another: Yet, if any of thefe are carried to another place, where they find a more fcanty fubfiftence, their progeny will gradually diminifh in fize, fo as never to reach the ftature of their original progenitors, fo long as they remain in that half-ftarved conditions But if, at fome diftant period, fome indivi- duals of this unnaturally fmall breed of animals fhould chance to be cartied to another diftriét, where they fhould have more abundant food and warmth when young, their progeny would gtadually out=grow their parents, till at length they fhould attain the fell fize of the ori- ginal parents of their race; after which they would re- main ftationary, fo long as they fhould enjoy this abun- dance of food and cther requifites. It is from this caufe that animals in Alpine countries, in which their young are ufually ftinted in their growth, for want of abundant nourifhment and genial warmth, are almoft always fmaller than in low and fertile countries, where they more ufually attain their natural fize.‘Thofe, there: fore, who allege that it is in vain to hope to alter the fize of the animals bred in any country, becaufe the paftures,&c. in each place will either raife or diminith thefe, till the animals attain the fize that it is naturally fitted to produce, have fome reafon for what they allege, although it is not ftrictly trues Want of abundant food, or an unnatural degree of cold, will always retard the growth of a young animal, and make it flop, before it Vou. II. L hath 1446 DISQUISITIONS the tail of the.common-breed of. fheep does not-reach lower than the knees; the tails of Englith fheep, ufually reach the heels, in their natural ftate.—I take no notice here of the broad-tailed Afiatic and African fheép, as they are not natives of this part of the world. . The variations that take place with re- gard to the above-mentioned particulars, are fo eafily diftinguifhable, that the moft inattentive obferver cannot fail to have remarked them on many occafions. Thofe that follow, are not perhaps, lefs-certain and permanent, although they do not fo fenfibly attract the attention: 11h, Certain_pants of.the fleece of : every fheep are finer than other parts. of the fame fleece; but the difference in this re{pect, in different races of fheep, is very hath attained its natural fize; fo that a large breed may thus become, in certain circumftances, no bigger than one that was naturally of a much fmaller fize. But no treat- ment could ever bring a breed naturally{mall, to equal the fize of one that was originally large, if it is reared where it can have food and warmth in abundance. The fF rent breeds of dogs afford a fatisfa€tory illuftration of this po! tion. A maftiff and a lap-dog, though equally well fed,{till retain their diftinctive fize, oreat vi Cale af ON AGRICULTURE. 14.5 Sreat.—-Sometimes the wool about. the iieck and fhoulders will be remarkably fine and filky, arid that on the buttocks of the fame fheep be exceedingly hard and coarfe; and, on the other hand, fome kinds of fheep afford a fleece in which the difference in this refpect is far lef$ confi- derable. 12¢h, In the fame manner, as we ob- ferve that fome individuals of the human fpecies have the hair of their heads much thicker and clofer than others, fo it may be obferved with regard to different breeds of fheep, that fome of them yield 4 mucl thicker and more weighty fleece, in pro- portion to the bulk of the animal, than others do. It would, therefore, be of great ufe to the farmer, to be able to know, witli accuracy, the exa¢t difference in this re- fpect, between any two varieties of this {pecies of animal, that he might have it in his power to rear. 13th, Some kinds of fheep give a much greater quantity of milk in proportion to their fize, than others do, and therefore make much better and fatter lambs than thefe, upon paftures equally gvood,—This | ee 1S 48 is a diftinction feldom attended to, al- though it might be, on many oceafions, of the utmoft confequence to the farmer., 14th, It is well known, that certain breeds of fheep are more difpofed to pro- duce twins than others.—There is in Hol- land, a large breed of fheep, that feldom have le{fs than two, often three, and fome- times four lambs at a time.—In Lincoln- fhire, and fome other parts of England, the ewes almoft univerfally produce two lambs; and in other parts, where the fheep are equally well fed, this is a fort of rarity. 15th, It is hkewife in general believed, that fome particular kinds of fheep are more eafily difpofed to carry lambs twice a year, or bring them at different times of the year, than others are.—The Dor- fetthire fheep have been faid to poffets that quality in a peculiar degree;—and although this could feldom be of much utility, yet, as it might on fome occafions be of ufe, it would be an advantage to the farmer to know all thefe*. 16th, * It is commonly fuid, that, in Egypt, fheep yean twice a year. Poflibly, in that warm climate, this may hot his -“ON AGRICULTURE.— 849 ;: ¢§ 167, It is alfo in general believed, and with good reafon, that fome particular breeds of fheep are naturally more hardy, and lefs fubject to difeafes or accidents of any fort, than others; although the farmei has not yet the fatisfa@ion of knowing ' experimentally if this be really the cafe or > not.—-Or, if it is;—-What are the parti- . cular breeds that are eminently diftin- h cuifhable for this valuable property? . 17th, It does not{eem in the leaft con- ? V, not be fuch an exaggeration as the fame hyperbolical expreffion 1S, when applied to more northern climates; although fome modern travellers have denied that this i is the cafe, even in Egypt. An ewe goes with lamb five ¢ months; fo that, fuppofing fhe either did not fuckle her ; lamb, or that fhe again took the ram while giving fuck, within one month after yeaning(which is a thing that L believe rarely if ever happens with regard to this fpe- , cies of animals) it would be barely pofible that they d fhould regularly produce lambs twice a year. But as h this is a thing that cannot be expected to turn out to any valuable account, in a climate like that of Britain, iM we may look upon it rather as a matter of curiofity than ie otherwife. As to their bringing a lamb, perhaps, very early in one feafon, and another fo late, as that both are i brought forth within the courfe of one year, 1 confider . it as an abufe of language, to call that having lambs ZH twice a year, and, therefore, as deferving no farther ay notice. ot 3 trary es a ae: E GO DR I “P, * 150 PASQOUISTTLO NSo* trary to reafon, to believe, that there may he. fome particular. breeds of{heep, and other domeftic.. animals, that may, per- haps, by mature require: lef$ food to fuf- tainthem, than others of their own{pecies, of an equal fize with themfelves, may re- quisex.-Yet Iknow..of no experiment, that has been made.with a view to deter- mine this important queftion, from which we could draw any ufeful conclufion.— But as it is of much importance to hav this fact afcertained with precifion, it furely merits the{pecial attention of fnols who may,have it their power to.profecute experiments of this fortis Che bate i that induce’'me to‘think“that this mi ee probably be the cafe, are as follow:-— We have already feen, p., 116, that fome animals of one genus). require. a greater‘quantity of food,~than:‘thofe of another, although of an equal fizé: From Ww hich we may be led at ic aft to enquire, if this may not, on fome occafions, eae to= the cafe with regard to different varieties of the fame'{ ipecies"Some horfés will thrive upon Le ae fare than others; and fome kinds of cows are more eafily kept ou) ON‘AGRICULTURE, rr kept up im- winter than others; which would feem, in fome meafure, to corrobo- rate this conjecture. And that fomething of this kind aves actually take plaee with re gard to the dif- ferent varieties of dogs, feems to be in general allow ed;—as 1 never heard it dif- puted by thofe who had attended to this circumftance, as to this clafs of animals, that that particular breed of dogs, called Pointers, require a much larger propor- tion of food to keep them properly than crey-hounds do; and that maftiffs take (till lefs' food, in proportion to their{ize, than grey-hounds*-—1 would-be far, however, from afferting thefe as undoubt- ed facts;—but popular opinions have for the moft part fome foundation in truth, and therefore, deferve to be confuted by experience, or indifputable arguments, be- fore they are fairly re jected. If this difficulty were folved, it would This obfervation feems to be confirmed by the*x- ‘eriments of Mr. Arthur Young, who finds that fom kinds of cattle require one-third of their weight per day to feed them, and others only one-fifth. Exp. Agr. Vol. IL. Art. Cattk. L 4 enable wees 2 DISQUISITIONS enable us to devife proper experiments for determining another, that has been often propofed, and debated with much warmth, although it can admit of no final folu- tion, till this previous doubt be difcuffed, viz. Whether it is moft profitable for the farmer to rear animals of a large breed, or fuch as are{maller? that is to fay, Whe- ther a large breed of fheep or cattle re- quire food of a better quality, or in greater quantity, in proportion to their fize, than. fuch as are{maller?—Or, in other words, Whether the fame field of grafs would rear a greater weight of beef or mutton, if it were depaftured with a breed of large, or another of{mall cattle or fheep? A large animal is fo beautiful to look at, and conveys fuch an idea of plenty and Juxuriance to the imagination, that it is apt to catch the fancy, and impofe upon the judgment fo much as not to allow us to attend to all the circumftances which might produce fome effect, with that cau- tious circum{petion, which is Lecedfary in in economical diiquifitions of this fort, Hence it has ufually happened, that thofe improving farmers, who have endeavour- ed ON._-AGRICULTURE. Ls-3 ed to better the breed of thefe two ufeful kinds of animals in any one diftriat, have attempted to do it by introducing a larger inftead of a fmaller kind: which circum- ftance alone they have always confidered as a capital improvement.—But it has as generally happened, that the greater part of the inhabitants in every country, ima- gining that large animals of any fort, re- quire a greater quantity of food in propor- tion te their bulk than fmaller- ones, as well as a more careful management, have always looked upon thefe attempts to in- troduce a larger breed among them rather as hurtful than beneficial, and have there- fore oppofed fuch innovations with all their might.—Now, if it fhould be found, upan a proper examination, that fome varieties, either of the ox or fheep, require a greater or fmaller proportion of food than fome other varieties of thefe do, it would be poffible, that each of thefe two oppofite opinions might, in different cir- cumftances, be juft. For, it might fo happen, that of two varieties that fhould be compared with one another in one corner, the{malleft might be the moft 2, oe hardy RA Se eas eRe ia resatens rere ERY r4 DISQUIUSITIONS hardy breed, and that which required leaft food in proportion to its fize,—while, in another diftriét, where the fame experi- ment fhould chance to: be-tried, the largeft of the two might poflefs thefe va- ya recs Tuable qualities in a more eminent dec = (ean) So that till the firft difficulty is finally de- termined, we can draw no- general con- elufion from any particular- experiments that might be made with a view to elu- eidaté the fecond. The above catalogue comprehends al-' moft all the particulars that occur to me, as contributing to occafion any variation between‘the different races or breeds of theep.— And if it be confidered, that not only each of the oppofite qualities above enumerated may be pofieffed by different breeds in all the intermediate{tages be- tween the one extreme and the other, but alfo:that any one’ or more of the:other peculiarities may be blended with thefe in all pofhble proportions, we will eafily per- ceive that the varieties produced by this means may be‘almoft infinite;—fo that it is peyhaps impoflible to form any adequate idea of the improvements that might be made |= ONYAGRICULTURE§ rsg made in this particular branch of. rural: economics,: fhould the.general. attention be properly direéted towards it, and the judicious efforts. of individuals. be long: enough continued.—But as many opinions prevail on. this fubject, that feem.to have been derived from the limited obfervations of private individuals, who have not had an oppoytunity of being better informed, which tend very much to difcourage the attempts. that might. be made towards improvement in this refpeét; it may not perhaps be improper, before we leave this, head, to examine, with: fome degree of attention, a few of thefe popular opinions, with a view to difcover if they are found- ed on reafon, or the reverfe. It feems to be an opinion rather too univerfally prevalent, that. that breed. of animals which is found in any one diftridt, is more peculiarly adapted to the nature of the climate, and other circumftances relating thereto, than. any other that could be introduced into it; and that, of confequence, any attempts that may be made towards, any improvement in this cefpect, will not be attended with the ex- pected fuccefs—But although it fhould be e/a Rapeihier~aae= i | | ee er r6é DESIQULSTDPIONS be allowed, that the beneficent Creator of this Univerfe, hath, in general, provided every country with thofe produétions, whether of the animal or vegetable king- dom, that are moft effentially neceffary to the exiftence of the inhabitants there- of; yet, as daily experience proves, be- yond a poffibility of doubt, that peculiar animals, as well as vegetables, are fome- times found in one country, and not in another, which is exactly fimilar to it in every refpeét; and that thefe animals or vegetables do thrive when tran{planted te it, as well as in their native country; it would feem that this partial deficiency had been wifely fo ordained, to ferve as a {pur to human ingenuity and induftry,— as a moft powerful means of promoting: that focial intercourfe between diiferent nations, which hath fuch a dire@ ten- dency to correct local prejudices, and hu- manize the foul, rather than to reprefs thofe vigorous exertions of the mental powersin which the principal happinefs of man fo evidently confifts—And the fuc- cefs that has attended many attempts of this kind, and the benefits that refult from ONe AGRICULTURE 157 from thence to fociety in general, fuffi- ciently confirm the obfervation.— The filk-worm was long confined toa particular diftrict of Afia alone, although it has been reared for hundreds of years paft, to as great perfection in many parts of Europe as in its original native country; and the breed of horfes in Britain, which are now fuppofed to exceed in fwiftnefS thofe of all other nations, are all known to be de- {cended from parents that have been imported from diftant regions.— Pears, cherries, peaches, apricots, and all the other fine fruits of our gardens, are na- tives of other diftant countries, and were utterly unknown, not only to our anceftors in Britain, but to, every European na- tion:— Even cabbages, coleworts, and colliflowers, with almoft all the numerous train of garden-roots and pot-herbs, were only of late introduced into Britain, where they are now reared in greater perfection than on any other part of the globe.— Horfes, cows, and fheep, were not,known in America before the Europeans{fettled there;—peaches, which now grow wild in every corner of America, ,and flourifh with tie rms DESIQUUSTEPGNS with a luxuriance unknown in every other country, were only introduced into thefe regions by'the firft fettlers from hence;:— And itis: but: of yefterday'that the firft handful of rice was accidentally brought into. Carolina; where it has fince. prof- pered fo exceedingly, as to enable the in- habitants of that country'to fupply almoft all the markets of Europe and the Weft Indies, with that ufeful grain.—In thort, the benefits that fociety wath reaped‘from judicioufly tran{porting theanimals or ve- getables of one country into’another, that might ftand in need'of them, are fo many and great.as might’ fill whole volumes barely to enumerate; and ought to ferve as a{trong incitement to us, to attempt fuch farther improvements in this refpect, as well-informed reafon may point out as ufeful. It likewife happens to be too univerfally believed, that the peculiar qualities of any breed of domeftic animals, that may have continued long’ in. any one diftri€t, are 3 chiefly to be attributed to the nature of {ome other peculiarities of the patture, or the fo:l or climate of that diftri@, and not - to Ss a Se Bi eee eee a ON AGRICULTURE.‘159 hy to. any difference in the primitive qualities | te of the original breed of animals.—Thus, a an inhabitant of Lincolnfhire fondly ima- tee gines, that the length of the wool that his out{heep produces, is owing to the peculiar Wor temperature of the air, which that county Me enjoys, or the nature of the pafture that alt there abounds.—A native of Cornwall as > Wel fincerely believes, that the very coarfe thor fleeces which his flocks afford, are to be fo attributed.to fimilar caufes. In this opi- I Nes nion, eacn of them is ftrongly confirmed, ty that by obferving, that if any fheep that carry ) matty wool of a different quality from that of dlumes their own, are introduced into either of five thefe counties from any other diftri@, their mit progeny in a fhort time lofe all thofe ori- ef ginal marks of diftin¢tion, and‘can no Kae, longer be perceived to differ in any re- {pect from their own originalbreed. From ar this obfervation, they, with feeming good fal reafon, conclude, that it is in vain for al: them, in the one cafe, to hope to improve 4 the breed, of the county; and that it is A equally foolith, in the other cafe, to give i themfelves any uneafinefslefttheir’s fhould* 3 : degenerate; feeing the padtures or climate {Us of (0»: Ba= Pa gga“ a 10 DISQUISITIONS of each county will quickly bring any ftrange breed of fheep toa perfect equa- lity with their own. And thus each party fits down contented with his own flock, thinking it is out of his power to make it better or worfe than it happens to be at the beginning. I do not, however, know a more falla- cious experiment than this, nor one that is attended with more pernicious confe- quences to the public; and, therefore, it deferves to be examined with the moft icrupulous attention. “Che fageis undoubtedly true; but the inference that has been drawn from it, ig probably extremely erroneous: as there feems to be the{trongeft reafon to believe, that the change produced upon the pro- geny of thefe ftrange fheep is to be en- tirely attributed to the mixture of the blood of thefe, with the native fheep of the country; and, perhaps, not at all to the influence either of the foil or climate. —For, as it is next to impoffible, to keep a few fheep diftine by themfelves in any country during the rutting-feafon, it is not to be doubted, but that the lambs produc- ed ES a O Ne AGRebG Wis EUR BE: i63 ed by this promifcuous copulation, will participate of the nature both of the father and mother. And as this mongrel breed likewife intereopulate in their turn with the native fheep of the country around them, their defcendants more nearly ap- proximate to the nature of thefe; and their progeny coming ftill nearer and more near, to the native fheep of the country, ina geometrical progreffion, it muft ne- ceffarily happen, that in a fhort time, the qualities which diftinguifhed thefe{trange fheep at firft, being fo much. divided among their defcendants, become alt toge- ther imperceptible to the fenfes.—-In the fame manner, a drop of milk mixed with an equal portion of water, becomes fenfi- bly diluted; and if that compound is mix- ed with a la irger quantity of water, it be- comes{till more and more colourlefs; and e CE li the fame operation be repeated feveral times, the fingle drop of milk, difperfed ha whole bucket of water, feems throug to be totally annihilated, and does not fen- fibly diminifh the tranfparency of that mies fluid; although there is no doubt, ut that the milk is fil[ there prefent, a id Vor:‘ Bie is M 13 Gah 2 DIS@e Psi tr ton s is no farther altered than by being divid- edinto fuch minute parts as to elude our {enfes.| That the change produced upon the de- fcendants.of thefe ftrange fheep, is to be attributed to the caufe above mentioned, and not to the influence of‘the pafture or climate, feems highly probable from this. circumftance, that we frequently meet with diftinét breeds of{heep in two neigh- bouring diftricts, that vary very little from one another, either with refpect to climate or paftures; as is the cafe with the neigh- bouring counties of Lincoln and Norfolk, —each of which hath poffefled, for hun- dreds of years paft, their own particular breed of fheep, that are very eafily diftin- euifhable from one another; the fheep in. this cafe, being more effectually kept from intermingling with one another, than can: ufually happen in two neighbouring coun-~ ties, by the fens and the wath that fepa- rate them. But what proves, beyond a poffibility of doubt, that thele changes are nat to be at- tributed either to the foil or climate, but merely-to the intermixture of blood, 1s,, that. — NS ON AGRICULTURE. 163 that the original fheep which come from one diftrict into another, may remain there as long as you incline, without undergo- ing any change;—the alteration being only obferved to take place with regard to their defcendants. It is probable that aay one of the dif- tinguifhing properties above enumerated, may be united with any other of thefe, in the fame animal, in aliy pfoportion: Nor does it appear, that we are as yet pofleffcd of any facts that fhould induce us to be- lieve, that any two of thefe qualities are more ufually conneéted with one another, than with any other two or more of them; although popular prejudice has on fome occafions fuppofed, that fome of thefe pe- culiarities are more naturally connected with one another, than they are with fome of the other qualities—Thus, many per- fons are difpofed to connect, in their own minds, the idea of finenefs of quality of the wool, with fmallnefs of fize in the animal, although it does not appear that we are pofleffed of fa@s fufficient to con- firm this conjecture.—The fheep of Lin- colnfhire and Romney-marth are among M 2 the = aes 2 epee he ect= a——=;=——=< nn ee — 7= See Se=e>= iF ie (i ie|) | Al re| iB | i i) - i y] oe aan 14 DISQUISITIONS the largeft in England, and-carry much finer wool than thofe of Derbyfhire and Northumberland, which are of a much {maller fize.—Neither are we to conclude, that largenefs of fize neceflarily produces fine wool. For the Tees-water fheep are as large as any of thefe, and afford a wool of a very coarfe quality. Others are difpofed to imagine, that the length of the wool is in fome meafure connected with the frze of the fheep; thinking that{mall fheep have always fhorter wool, than thofe that are larger.— But neither is this confirmed by experi- ence.—T he Dorfetfhire fheep, which yield fhort carding wool, have a much larger body than a{mall breed of black-faced fheep, in the South of Scotland, that carry a vool almoft as long as any in mielend:— and the Gea that produce the ciett{hort Segovian wool, in Spain, I am affured from good authority, are nearly of as large a fize, as the beit breed of f{heep in Lincoln- fhire—The laft-named fheep afford a p-oof, that the largene{fs of fize does not obftruét the-length of the wool; although Tees-water- fheep, which are much larger, the UL oD ON AGRICULTURE, 165 larger, do not produce wool of near fuch length of ftaple as thefe do. more difpofed to think, le, is i a great mea- Others again are that finene(s of ftap fure connected with the fhortnets thereof: —But neither do we here meet with the facts oe y to confirm their hypothefis. —Lincolnfhire wool is much_ longer than that of Durham, Derbythire,. or Cornwall, and it is at the fame.time of. a much finer ftaple-—The longeft wool upon the fame fleece, is indeed, ufually the coarfeft part of it; from whence, in all probability, this. opinion has been de- rived. Others think, that finenefs of wool is connected with delicacy of conititution in the animal.—But this we have no reafon to imagine from experience: For, we do not find that the fine-woolled fheep of Shropfhire, Somerfet, Hampthire, Kent, or Surrey, are more tenderly treated, or fubject to more accidents, than the other coarfer-woolled fheep in the kingdom. And if I might venture, to{peak my own private experience, I coul< fafely affirm, that after having kept in the fame M 2 flock (aeaioees ae i Hl | A ik i oc as RS aay pire _. ype ene 166 DISQUISITIONS flock for fome years, feveral diftinét breeds of theep, fome of which yielded much coarfer wool than others, it has fo hap- pened that the fineft-woolled fheep have been at all feafons in the beft order.— From which, however, I would by no means infer, that this is always the cafe; as I make no doubt but thefe two qua- lities, finenefs of wool, and delicacy of conftitution, may be fometimes united in the fame breed, as well as any other two qualities, Others think, thofe fheep that carry fine wool, have neceflarily a thinner j fleece, and confequently le{s wool in pro- portion to their fize, than fuch as yield coarfer wool, But neither have| met with any faéts that would induce me to believe that this is always the cafe. The fheep in my own flock which have the fineft wool, yield likewife the mot weigh. ty fleeces in Proportion to their fize, in the ratio. at leaft of three to two; and it is now well known that the fleeceof the fine- woolled Spanifh fheep is much clofer in the pile than that of any breed of fheep reared in Britain, J might goon, and enumerate feveral other; ga ON AGRICULTURE. 167 ether qualities that have, with as little reafon as the above, been fuppofed to be meceffarily conneéted with one another; but, to avoid prolixity, I decline going any farther in this inveftigation at pre- fent;—hoping I fhall not be accufed of precipitancy, if, from the above examples, J fhould infer, that we have much reafon to think, that fometimes one or more of thefe diftinguifhing qualities may be found united with fome other of thefe in one particular breed of fheep, while thefe fame qualities may be united with fome other diftinguifhing peculiarities in fome other breed: and as this may be varied almoft to infinity, it ought to put us much upon our guard againft drawing general conclufions from any particular experiments. It would feem likewife that we might naturally infer.from the aboye induction, that fecing there may be fuch an infinite diverfity in this refpe€t, no one needs ever t to defpair of being able to improve his own particular breed, fo long as it is not poffeffed of all the valuable qualities that he would wifh for; as it is poffible he M4 may 008 Dts O45 110 Ns may meet with another breed that pof- feffes thefe qualities he wants, or may get them communicated to his own, by properly crofling with others: And that, therefore, inftead of fitting down in lift- jefs indolence, trufting entirely to Frovi- 2(@)/ dence for the meliorating his flock, he every advantage that fortune may throw in his: way, and his reafoning faculty alive and aétive, fo as to diftinguifh with accuracy how far any propofed alteration may be attended with any effential im- 1 farmer, and others who, like himfelf, are poffeffed of a breed of theep yielding very oarfe wool; or fuch as is- mixed with c fitchel hair(kemps) inftead of fitting down contented with thefe as the beft that his fituation would admit of, had with a difcerning attention, ftudied to better his breed; he might have reaped from thence, long ere now, fome very C: 1 fe effential benefits. * I have been informed, and have’ good reafon to be- lieve, that the Cornith hair, as it is ufually called, has been fomewhat improved of late, by an attention to im- prove their breed of theep, But ON AGRICULTURE. 169 But if, from the above induétion, we have room to hope for high degrees of improvement, we likewife from thence fee great reafon to induce us to proceed ‘in our attempts of this fort with the moft Becaufe, if we ‘ cautious circumfpection: do not attend to all the collateral qualities, if I may fo exprefs myfelf, that any par- ticular breed of fheep may poffefs, united with that particular one we with'to ob- tain, it may fo happen, that for the fake of that eftimable quality, we may facri- fice feveral others, of much greater va- lue*.—But if we have all thefe import- ant objects in view, and beftow upon each | a its proper degree of attention, it is im- eee poflible but our attempts muft be attended Sree? Se * Thofe fpirited farmers who wifh to improve the quality of their wool, by introducing fine fheep from other countries, ought to be on their guard, left they thus introduce difeafes into their flocks that are not ago eafily eradicated.—Of late, an alarming difeafe has made its appearance among the fheep in Lincolnfhire,—im- properly called the rzckets.—It is not infectious by con- cact—but runs in the blood, and feems to be always hereditary.—It never fails to be fatal to all the fheep that are affected by it, as no fort of cure has yet been difcovered for it. with 170 DISQUISITIONS with fuccefs*. And as nothing could fo much tend to facilitate any attempt for an improvement of this fort, as an exaét enu- meration of all the particular breeds of iheep that can be found in this or any other country, with a fpecial defcription of all the diftinguifhing peculiarities of each, it is very much to be withed that fuch a thing could be acomplithed, S S$ 8s Goats are, in general, much lefs efteem- ed than fheep: Yet, as thefe may be pro- perly kept in fome fituations where no other animal could live fo well, it might be alfo of ufe to have a fpecial enumera- tion of the various breeds of this{pecies° of animals, with a particular enumeration of the peculiar qualities of each.—On the mountain called Sverra de Strela, near Al- meida, in the province of Beira, in Por- * The very great improvements that have been made upon the breed of horfes in Britain, in the courfe of fome centuries paft, ought to encourage us to hope, that with an equal degree of'attention, we might be able to make a{till higher improvement on the nature of our fheep, as the climate is more fayourable to this animal than the horfe. tugal, ON AGRICULTURE 171 tugal, I have been affured, that there is a, breed of large fine goats remarkable for yielding a very great quantity of milk;— a gallon, or a gallon and a half Englith (two or three pints Scots) per day.— Thefe would probably be of great ufe for being taken into fhips for long voyages, were they introduced into Britain. Whether the goat of Angora, that af- fords the fine filky hair called Mo-hair, be only a variety of the commen goat, as Dr. Haflequift imagines,.or a diftinét {pecies by itfelf, feems not as yet to have But of this, and fome others of the fame clafs of | Ti been afcertained with certainty. Bi= es animals, I fhall have occafion to fpeak hereafter, a NS AER sf ne ne The peculiar properties of the different breeds of hogs are as little known as of ae —=" the other domeftic animals, and therefore deferve to be enquired into.—The{mall Chinefe hog, is vaftly different from the large Englith breed, in fize and appear- ance.—But we have as yet no accurate experiments on which we can with cer- tainty rely, for afcertaining the peculiar qualities, a ae 172 DISQUISITIONS qualities, either‘of thefe, or of the dif-. ferent breeds known in Europe. XXXV. It is in general believed, that old paftures are much more valuable than new. Ts this really the cafe!—lIf it is, to what eaufes ought this to be afcribed f—or, are there any means of obviating this incon- venience'—What ave they? S$ S$ S$ That fome old paftures may be found, which afford a greater abundance of ex- eellent food for quadrupeds than any that are new, is a fact fo univerfally acknow- ledged, as hardly to admit of a. difpute; but there isas little room to doubt, that the opinion which in many places fo much prevails that every pafture-field that is old, is neceffarily better and more profit- able to the community, than if it were ploughed up, and again judicioufly laid down to grafs, with the fyftem of farm- that has been engrafted upon it, of abfolutely Se oC ing ON. AGRICULTURE., 173 abfolutely reftriGting the poffeffors of{uch fields in any cafe from ploughing them up, has been attended with very pernicious confequences. It is therefore of much importance, that the falfe principles upon which this opinion is founded, fhould be expofed, and the erroneous tenets that have been adopted in confequence thereof exploded. It is but about a hundred years fince the practice of fowing any kinds of grafs- feeds was firft introduced into Britain. And as before that period, every field, when allowed to remain unplou came in time covered with fuch grafles as chanced to have their feeds or roots in the field without any effort of the far- mer, thefe were called natural grafles, in oppofition to thofe that have been fince that time propagated by fowing, which have been called artificial graffes.—And although thefe laft are in many cafes in- digenous plants, and as much natives of the foil as any others, yet this inaccurate diftinction fill prevails, and, along with it, an opinion, that as thofe plants that are found to fpring up{pontaneoufly in the rc foil, izz DISQUISITIONS foil, are evidently better adapted to it thar thofe that are thus, as they imagine, con- trary to the intention of Nature, forced upon it; fo, of confequence, it is better to allow thefe quietly to eftablith themfelves, than to force them to. give way to ftrangers. This mode of reafonning has probably induced many to imagine, that every at- tempt to improve our paftures, by fowing what they call artificial grafs-feeds, will be without fuccefs:—In which opinion they are farther confirmed, by remarking, that thofe fields whichhave been attempt-~ ed to be laid out for pafture, and have been fowed with the feeds of thefe artificial egraffes, have hardly in any cafe produced a pile fo clofe or fo fine, as what is fre- quently remarked in thofe‘old paftures which bountiful Nature hath clothed with her moft valuable robe. It will not, however, be alleged, that our fields, if left to themfelves, will fur- nith fuch abundant crops of cutting-grafs or vatuable hay, as may with certainty be obtained from them by cultivating fome of thefe artificial graffes; fo that we. have ON AGRICULTURE. 175 have the fulleft proof that Nature may in this cafe be improved upon. And although it is probable, that none of the graffes that have been hitherto cultivated by the far- mer, are of the moft proper kind for paf- turage; yet, there is little reafon to doubt, but that many of the moft valuable kinds for this purpofe, would admit of being cultivated with the fame eafe as fome of thofe are with which we are well ac- quainted, if they were properly feparated from others, and cultivated with equal care. 3ut to long as we fhall remain ignorant of the peculiar qualities of each kind of grafs, fo as not to be able to diftinguith the good from the bad, it is not furprif- ing that we fhould remain firmly per- fuaded that Nature alone can provide va- luable paftures, and that age is fo eflen- tially neceffary for bringing them to their ultimate perfection.—For if we allow our fields to remain uncultivated, without having fowed them with any kind of grafs-feeds, it muft ever happen, that the feeds of fuch graffes as are brought by the wind or otherwife, from the neighbouring 2 fields, i eee .= a eA -eftablith themfelves.— And as it may they come up at once in fuch abundance 6 Jee cae ONS fields, will there take root; and in timé fometimes happen, that fome of the moft valuable pafture-graffes may there abound; the field, in thefe cafes, will become filled with their feeds, and in due time may:| afford the moft valuable pafture. But if bad kinds of graffes fhould abound in the neighbourhood more than the good, the field will as naturally become filled with the feeds, of thefe ufcleds plants.—And as a number of thefe are hardy and abid- ing plants, if the field is once filled with them, the paiture will be, of confequence, always of little value, if it fhould be al- lowed to remain undifturbed for any length of time. Thus we fee that the’ only difference between natural and artificial graffes, is, that,,in'the laft cate,.the feeds are fown in fuch quantities by the hufbandman, and fo properly difpofed for vegetating, that as to fill the whole field entirely, without allowing room for other grafles to fpring, in any confiderable proportion, among them;—whereas, in the firft, the feeds are ON AGRICULTURE. i are only flowly and{cantily brought by the winds, and expofed unprotected to all the viciflitudes of weather: fo that it js long before the field becomes ao ftocked with them, and mutt,at laft be filled with fuck hardy forts as may chance to be in the neighbourhood, whether they be good or bad.: And as in thefe circumfttances, the roots of fhort-lived plants, fuch as couch-grafs, knot-grafs, narrow-leaved forrel,-~wild- mint, and others of that fort, that are ufually found in loofe cultivated ground, are allowed to LES without interrup- tion; and as they have in this cafe no other plants to contend with, they advance for a year or two after the field is laid in- to grais, with the greateft luxuriance; fo that the firft two or three ci rops of grafs on {uch fields, confift almoft entirely of thefe, together with a few annual weeds that {pring up in fuch uncultivated fields. And it is only after thefe plants gradually die away, that the weaker and more va- luable perennial grafles begin to eftablith themfelves, and the pafiure becomes gra- dually better, if circumftances fhould ave ie hes i N concurred = sae goes ee Ss 178 DISQUISITIONS concurred to eftablith the feeds of valuable eraffes in that field. Thus we difcover the reafon why natu- ral paftures never can be#0 good when they are new, as they may become afte cn wards.—W hether the fame objection 1S. again{t artificial paftures, is. Hot, fo cer- tain: The above will be acknowledged to to be a fair and genuine account of the eftab- lifament and progrefs of a field of natural era{fs, and well demands the ferious atten- tion of the reader.—Let him confider how numerous the. circumftances are that muft accidentally concur together before it 1s poflible to expect a very fine field of pat- ture-gra{s, if left to Nature, and then he will perceive how improbable it 1s that ali thefe fhould concur to produce their full effe& in anyone field whatever.— There is ite fe fe muft be no roots of bad gralies, nor ieeas of robuft annuals in the foil when it is left out from tillage; and the feeds of the moft valuable kinds of grafles muft be 1 the neighbourhood in fuach abundance as to fill the whole field fufficiently at once. Nor is this all.—-F or as there are, no doubt, 3 a CON ON AGRICUL FUR FE. 179 a confiderable variety of valuable kinds of-grafs, fome of which are. naturally fitted to grow to perfe@ion on one kind of foil, or upon that{oil when in certain circumftances, while others would thrive beft upon another foil, or upon that foil only in certain peculiar circumftancs; it muft fo happen, that thefe very plants which are beft adapted to the{oil in the {tate it may be in at the time, fhould be found in abundance in the neighbourhood of the field. Neither muft there be found near that, any fort of robuft quick-grow- ing plant, the feeds of which, by being blown upon that field, might fuddenly rufh up, and fuffocate, in their infancy, thefe tender and valuable plants.—Nor muft there be found any bad kinds of gratis, that, by being eftablithed along with the good in any proportion, might tend to diminith the value of the pafture. —Now, let any one refle@ on the infinite diverfity thefe few particulars may admit of, and think how utterly impoflible it is that all the favourable circumftances, without any of thofe that are unfavoura- ble, fhould concur in any one cafe, and N 2 he SiS SRR RR RR SE a 180 DISQUISITIONS he will acknowledge, that thofe who fourld their hope of obtaining the moft valuable paftures only upon the fortuitous concur- rence of all thefe circumftances, or who imagine that.every pafture which is old muft, on that account, of neceffity be good, act in direct contradiction to the plaineft dictates of reafon and common fenfe.—For, although it fhould be allowed that the graffes hitherto cultivated are not of the moft proper fort for forming good paftures, and that therefore, on fome occa- fions, much better natural paftures may be met with than could be formed by means of any of thefe; yet it by no means fol- lows from thence, that if the farmer were perfectly acquainted with the value and diftinguifhing qualities of each kind of natural grafs, and knew the foil and cul- ture that beft agreed with it, the moft proper manner of rearing it, and every other particular relating to the:economy thereof, he might not perhaps have it in his power to form artificial paftures: as much excelling the natural as thefe laft at prefent ufually exceed the former.— cA ead For, were he poffefled of the knowledge above ON AGREC(ee TU RE ei- above fuppofed, he could at once fill his foil with the feeds of thofe valuable e craffes which he knew were beft adapted to it, and thus effectually exclude the admiffion of every ufelefs plant, or pernicious kind of grafs, that might be brought from the neighbouring fields by the wind, or other accidental caufes*. Thus * T cannot, on this occafion, omit taking notice of a azsreeable confe- ‘S* circum{tance that produces many difé quences, and therefore deferves a more particular de- gree of attention, than it has hitherto obtained among modern improvers, v7z, an inattention to the nature of the plants that grow in the margin of ploughed fields, and other wafte corners of the farm.“Ihefe places are often filled with docks—racwort—thiftles—and other ufelefs or pernicious plants, which are allowed to re- nain undifturbed till the feeds are brought to perfec- tion, and difperfed by the wind through every corner of the farm, where they fpring up in abundance, to the infinite prejudice of eyery ufeful crop, and the ruin of the farmer, whofe attempts to clean and enrich his fields, are thus perpetually fruftrated; for the richer and cleaner his ground is, it is the fitter for rearing thefe pernicious weeds with the greater Juxuriance. Every man, therefore, who hopes tobe benefited| 2p his la- bours, ought to be peculiarly attentive to fee that every bad plant be cut down before it comes to How, er, in every part of his farm.—One thiftle—or ragwood, that efcapes in a neglected corner, may produce feeds enough ° rn N LN< 5& 182 DISQUISITIONS Thus it appears, that the very beft foils, if allowed to run into natural grafs, may, from to ftock 2 whole field; and the feeds are fo light, that they are difperfed to an amazing diftance around; fo that it is of the utmoft confequence that none of them efcape. r This is a fort of attention that no man ought to ne- glect:—But the farmer who wifhes to reap the ful of his grounds, may go one ftep farther, and make thefe borders of his fields prove beneficial, inftead of hurtful. With this view, he ought to dig, manure, and lay per- fectly level, the borders round all his inclofures, and fow it down with proper prafs-feeds once for all, If it is made fmeoth, it will ferve for a proper and agreeable walk;-—-if it is made mch, the grafs will become fo luxuriant, as to admit of being cut by the fcythe while the field is in corn; and if it is filled with proper kinds of grafs, it may help to ftock his fields with valuable plants, inftead of pernicious weeds. To make the farmer, underftard the full import of this laft hint, it is neceflary he fhould be informed, that there are many valuable plants and graffes, whofe feeds cannot be faved without fome trouble, that might be readily difleminated through the fields, if the borders were filled with thefe—Of this fort is the foft grafs, (poa pratenfis) already ta ken notice of, and the yar- row plant, whofe feeds may, indeed, be collected by hand, but which would be more eaiily diffeminated by the wind, if allowed to ripen in the borders—for it is as light and chaffy as the ragwort feeds. If thefe were al- jowed to ripen and fhed their feeds that feafon that the field Se. ON AGRICULTURE. 1383 from accidental caufes, become ftocked with a variety of bad and unprofitable plants, field was to be laid out for grafs, it is not to be doubted, but many of the plants would fpring up in the fields while under pafture. There are many other plants, whofe feeds can hardly be at all collected by the hand in fufficient quantities, that might on many occafions be planted in our fields by this means, if duly attended to. On the fubje& of extirpating hurtful plants, I fhall here take notice of one faét, that may on many occafions be of ufe, if adverted to. Few plants are more hurt- ful to pafture fields, than the common ragwort(fenecto jacobea) which, if once eftablifhed in a field, can hardly ever be entirely extirpated; and when it has once fpread through a large diftrict of country, can fcarcely be ba- nifhed from a particular field: But nothing is more eafy than to eradicate it entirely, when it firft makes its ap- pearance in any part of the country where it did not formerly abound, as I once experienced, in the following manner: I poffeffed a farm in a part of the country where this plant did not abound; but fome of the feeds of it had been brought by accident among the orafs-feeds, with which I fowed a field on that farm, The fecond year after fowing, that ficld was paftured, and it was very much choaked up with ragweed. I took care, however, to caufe every plantof it to be cut over, when it began to fhow its flower; and was attentive myfelf to obferve, from time to time, that not one plant efcaped: the confe- quence was, that next year only two or three plants ap- N 4 peared, SR we,=== a—<<————————= IMs ea from danger to its inmoft recefles, where it cannot be Wen incommoded by the heat of the fires upon the furface, fmail is the benefit produced by this operation. The vey fires are no fooner extinguifhed, than they begin their fs labours afrefh with re-doubled affiduity, and thus as he: ; fruftrate the aim of the im prover. pe Thus it appears, that the feafon ufually chofen for oa performing this operation is the moft unpropitious.— aad If ever they are to be deftroyed by cutting up the hills, eds the operation mutt be performed in fummer, when the hills are their place of abode, and when many of them to be muft be deftroyed by this operation. But as they are few fo numerous, many muft, even then, make their retreat ice of to the bottom of their holes, and be preferved. If this ima operation, however, was performed about the end of evere June, or beginning of July, when the young of this ani- e208 mal are in their.vermicular and aurelia{tate, and near© witl- the furface, the greateft part of thefe young ones would On. be deftroyed;—which would be doing fomething. But 4 the when it jis confidered, that this creature multiplies fo feafon faft—that fome of the vermicles and aurelias would be furface faved by the affiduous care of the working ants,~-and 2 opt that, of the living ants, perhaps, not one hundredth part be much could be by this means deftroyed, it will be allowed, that at tat even this operation, expenfive as it muft appear to be, is only a flight palliative at beft; and that no effectual chet by cure remains fo advifeable, as ploughing the field up, or fring{preading a ftream of water over the furface of it, which eta will, in all cafes, deftroy them mof effectually. from O 2 fuch 196 DISQUISITIONS fuch plants as might afford the moft va- luable pafture, and cultivating thefe with affiduity and care. The inattention of the improving far- mers in Great Britain to this fubject, has been truly amazing. But it 1s hoped the attempt that has been made by the inge- nious Mr. Stillingfleet, will be in time at- tended with the defirable effect of turning their attention to a fubje& of fuch great importance 5 with regard to which, they willthen doubtlefé make many valuable improvements* Tt is, however, to be feared, that till fome¢. attempt fhall be made to afcertain the particular qualities and peculiarities of the different kinds of graffes, as 1s pointed out ih the firtt and following Difguifitions in this Effay,. the Public will be often impofed upon by fpecious accounts of new grafles, which * Since the firft publication of this Eflay, the inge~ nious Mr. Marthall, Mr. Curtis, and fevetal others, have adverted to this fubject, and, no doubt, much benefit will be derived from their united labours. Many notions that were current at the time this Eflay was originally written, are now thereby exploded, and improvements in this department are in the train of advancing, Note io the fourth Edition. may ls tions nally jents Note nay ON AGRICULTURE. 197 may be really poffeffed of few valuable qualities, and may very much tend to dif- courage the enquirer. This ought not, however, to prevent: fuch as may have had an opportunity of making any obfer- vations on this fubject, from communi- cating them to the Say as they may always be of fome ufe 1_ helping to augment, in a{mall at the general fteck of knowledge. For this reafon, I fcruple not to com- municate the following remarks relating to this fubjeét, that hie occurred to my- {elf-At the famt time, I beg leave to caution the reader, as well with regard to myfelf, as every other perfon who may write on this fubject, to attend to what is faid with fome d legree of diffidence; and not at once to vadiee. without reftraint,. the pleafing ideas that may-prefent them- {elves to his imagination on peruting thefe accounts: For, althou ich the writer may be as ingenuous as poflible, yet the mind is fo apt to be hurried forward with too much precipitancy when it contemplates profpetts of this fort, that it is next to im- poflible he fhould avoid falling into fome O 3 miftakes, 198 DISQUTISITIONS miftakes, which time, and a more en larged experience, will afterwards dif- cover and correct. In the mean time, it were much to be withed, that both the writer and reader would ftrenuoufly endeavour to difcover what are the particular purpofes for which any one plant could be deemed valuable, and in what refpects it might be looked upon as of no value at all: For, as there is no plant that can be alike ufeful on all occafions, if we lofe fight of this moft ne- ceflary diftinétion, it may often happen, that we may attempt to rear a particular plant for purpofes which it was never fitted to anfwer; and our want of fuccefs in thefe trials may make it be entirely re- jected, even in cafes for which it was ex- tremely proper. But this we may rather wifh for, than hope to{ee faithfully put in practice at ence: For the human mind is fo apt to be dazzled with novelty, that when a new plant is introduced into Agriculture, like a new-difcovered mineral-well, it is cried up as poffefling every valuable quality., Every one is eager to experience its falu- tary "— a ae ae —_——. eS=: A fa= i ie» a.~ as 7 Fant,—- ON AGRICULTURE. 199 tary virtues. Itis applied in all cafes, and to all conftitutions: But as foon as the rage for novelty is fubfided, experience foon fa- tisfies the greateft part of thofe who have tried it, that they have received no bene« fit from it; on which account, it is cried down, as poffefling no virtues at all, and becomes entirely neglected, except by the few whofe difeafes it was fitted to relieve, who, in humble obfcurity, reap the bene-. fits thereof, and after a courfe of many years, perhaps, recommend it to the pub- lic notice for thofe real qualities alone that. it indeed poffeffes. Such has been evidently the cafe with regard to fome-plants that have been of late recommended to the attention of the public, in too fanguine a manner:—And fuch, I doubt not, may be the cafe with fome of thofe that I here take notice of, although I have, at/leaft, endeavoured to guard againft it. Rye-grafs has been long cultivated in our fields; and it is now, in general, held to be but a very indifferent gra{s for paf- ture, on account of the tendency it has to {fend out numerous feed-ftalks very early O 4 in A 209 DIS QUISI TIONS. in..the feafon, after which no animat will tafte it; fo that, unlefs it be for a very fhort while in the{pring, when the leaves are tender and fucculent, it Isto Jonger. fit for pafturage,-—the {talks, after the month of May, becoming withered;—fo that after that period, the field is u ee oe entirely with thefe dead ftalks; and remains, during the re- mainder of the feafon, with very few figns of vegetation of any fort. It is, more- over, but a fhort-lived Bia, ufually dying gut entirely in five x years. On both which accounts, it is a no means to be feegmumended, in general, asa proper gra{s for pafturage, unlefs under a careful ma- hagement, and in circumftances which | be afterwards more particularly{peci- All gr rafles that run chiefly to feed-ftalks, cd x © cas ew ¢ ees a? O =) m to be, for the fame reafons, in fome degree, improper for that purpofe; fo that our refearches ought to be direéted a to difcover fuch graffes as run chiefly to leaves, and produce but few flower-ftalks. It was this quality tha® firft recom- mendcd te fF G2. ON AGRICULTURE. 261 mended the purple fefcue-grafs to the notice of the Writer of this Effay, and induced him to try fome experiments with regard to it. Botanifts will readily know this plant. But, for the fatisfaGsion of the farmer; it will not be improper to obferve, that al- though this grafs is very often found—in old paftures, yet as it has but few flower- {talks, and as it is eaten greedily by all do- meftic animals, thefe flower-ftems are{e]- dom fuffered to appear, fo that it ufually remains there unperceived.. But it feems to be better able to endure the peculiar acrimony of the dung of dogs than almoft any other plant, and is therefore often to be met with in doe tne as I call the lit- tle hills by road-fides, where dogs ufually pifs and dung; and asit is allowed to grow there undifasbad: the farmer may have an opportunity of examining the plant, A and becoming acquainted with its appear~ ance. rrnxy Ihe leaves-are long and fmall, and ap- pear to. be roundifh, fomething like.a wire. But upon examination, they are found not to be tubulated like a reed or ruth, sez“DIS QUIST TIONS rufh, the fides of the leaf being only fold- éd together from the midle rib, exa@ly like the{trong bent-grafs upon the fea- fhore.— The flower-ftalk is tall, and branches out in the head a little refembling the wild oat; only the grains are much {maller, and the ear does not{pread full open, but lies bending a little to one fide. The ftalks are often{potted with reddifh freckles, and the top of the roots are ufual- ly tinged with the fame colour; from whence it has probably obtained its diftinc- tive name of Feffuca rubra, or red(pur- ple) fefcue. It 1s often to be met with in old gar- den-walks; and as its leaves advance very quickly after cutting, it may ufually be difcovered above the other graffes about a week or fortnight after the walks are'cut. —Nor do they feem only to advance at one feafon, and then’ ftop and decay, but continue to advance during the whole of the f{ummer, even where they are not cut, fo that they fometimes attain a very great tength. I fome time ago meatured a leaf of this grafs that{prung up in a neglected corner, which was four feet and four inches is ilk s/\\~ j e Viren AOMUE Grif) /: a ON AGRICULTURE. 203 ym length, although not thicker than a {mall wire.—It is unneceflary to add, that thefe leaves naturally trail upon the ground, unleis where they meet with {ome accidental fupport; and that if any quantity of it be fuffered to grow for a whole feafon, without being eat down or cut, the roots of the leaves are almoft rotted by the overfhading of the tops of the other leaves before the end of the feafon. This is the appearance and condition of the plant when in its native fituation, as it is feldom difcovered but in pretty old paftures.—And as it, in that ftate, carries only a very few feed-ftalks, it was with fome difficulty that I could collect a{mall handful of the feed, which I carefully fowed in a{mall patch of garden-mould, to try if it could be eafily cultivated.—It came up as quickly as any other kind of gra{s, but was at firft as{mall as hairs:— the leaves, however, advanced a-pace, and were, before autumn, when the grain along with which they had been fowed was cut down, about fixteen or eighteen inches in length; but having been fowed very thin, 5 4 Lt 204“DISQUISITIONS. it was neceffary to pick out fome other. kinds of grafs that came up amonett it, left it might have been choaked by them. Early next fpring, it. advanced with pro- Py, oO? P digious vigour, and the tufts that were formed from every{eed became exceedingly- large, fo that it quickly filled the whole bape But now the leaves were almoft as broad as thofe of common rye-erafs, and the two fides only inclined.a little towards one another from the mid-rib, without any appearance of roundnefs,— In due’ time, a great many{eed-ftalks fprung out, which attained very nearly to the: height: of four. feet, sand produced feeds in abundance, which may be as eafi- ly faved as thofe of common‘eiital, The prodigious difference between the appearance of this plant in its native and cultivated ftate, amazed me; but it was with a good deal of fatisfaction that I found there would be no difficulty in -procuring feeds from it, which I had Pp 8 much doubted of at firft. It would feem that Nature hath endowed this plant with a{trong generative_ power tap its youth, which it gradually lofes as it ad- -: erf tae@| sv= Spee ee Vances in ace(ror tne Gitrerence perceiv- ©\ V y A ae a bees| 1“4 Lact ae A ny AD Cae at teenie ‘ed in’ this’ cafe’ could not be attributed to a. ia boat pl gr Oe: ere: the richnefs of the{oi 5 and tnat, on the contrary, when it was old, the leaves v advanced with an aditional vigour, in proportion to the decli ing ftreneth of the flower-ftalks. For en eaves of the yout ig plant feldom exceed two feet, Whereas numbers of’ the old leaves were near four feet in length. From thefe of this plant, it: would feem to promife to be of great ufe to the farmer, as he could reap from a field of it, for the firft two or three years, as great'a weight of hay as he could obtain from any of the culmi- ferous grafies; and if he meant after- wards to pafture it, he would fuffer no inconveniences from the flower-ftalks: and the fucculent leaves that continue to vegetate with vigour during the whole fummer, would at all times furnith his cattle with abundance of wholefome food. It has, been already remarked, that this erafs files“ae early in the{pring as rye- sees and continues green for the greateft part of winter, which the other does not. —It 206~=DISQUISITIONS —It is, moreover, an abiding plant, as it feems never to wear out of the ground where it has been once eftablithed. On 5 aves a 1 all which accounts, it appears to me, high- ly to merit the attention of the farmer; and well deferves to have its feveral qua- Isties; and the culture that bet agrees with it, afcertained by accurate experi- ments*. I have likewife taken fome notice, on a former occafion, of another kind of na- tive grafs of this country, that has a jutt claim to a more particular fhare of the farmer’s attention, than it has’ ever yet obtained among us, wz. the fheep’s fef- * Since the above was written, I find little reafon to alter any thing that has been here faid. In a few years, T found that this grafs, where it had been fowed, pro- duced but few feed-ftalks; the pile of grafs became ex- tremely clofe; and the plants advanced in height with lefs luxuriance, and were drier and lefs fucculent, than during the firft two or three years. It appears to me, that in confequence of its great increafe by the roots, it willhavea tendency to become, in time, too thick, fo as to ftint the plants in their growth; fo that harrowing from time to time with very weighty harrows, or fome other practice, by which a good many ef the plants might be era- dicated, would prove of ufe to renew the vigour of the grafs. Cuc- OM: AG RECU L‘*T liek 209 cue-grafs(Feftuca ovina) fo much praifed by the Swedifh naturalifts, for its fingu- lar value as a patture-grafs for fheep; this animal being reprefented as fonder of it than any other grafs, and fattening upon it more quickly than on any other kind of food whatever. And, indeed, the general appearance of the plant, and its peculiar manner of growth, feem very much to favour the accounts that they have given us of it. This plant is of the fame family with the former, and agrees with it in feveral retpects; although they may be eafily dif tinguifhed from one another.—lIts leaves, like the former, in its natural ftate, are al- ways rounded, but much{maller, being little bigger than large horfe-hairs, or {wine-briftles, and feldom exceed fix or feven inches in length. But thefe{pring out of the root in tufts fo clofe upon one another, that they refemble in this re- {pect a clofe hair-bruth, more than any- thing elfe that I know; fo that it would feem naturally adapted to form.that thick {hort pile of grafs, in which theep are| wellknown chiefly to delight.—Its ower- f ftalks.- i a EE ri Se ee ee: 48 DISQUISITIONS ftalks are numerous, and fometimés at- tain the height of two feet; but more ufually about twelve or fifteen inches high. Upor gathering the feeds of this plant, and fowing them as the former, it was found, that they fprung up as quickly as any other kind of grafs; but the leaves are at firft no bigger than a human hair. —From each feed,{prings up one or two of thefe hair-like filaments, that ina fhort time fend out new off-fets, fo as quickly to form a fort of tuft, which grows larger and larger, till at length it attains a very large fize, or. till all the intervals are clof- ed up; and then it forms the clofeft pile of grafs that it is poffible to imagine.—In April and May, it pufhed forth an innu- merable quantity of flower-ftalks, that afforded an immenfe quantity of hay; it being fo clofe throughout, that the fcythe could{carcely penetrate it.‘Fhis. was al- lowed to ftand till the feeds ripened; but the bottom of the ftalks were quite blanch- ed, and almoft rotted for want of air, be- fore that period. _ This»was the appearance that it made the — NN| ~ Ss 7 Ke iy f g 3 ‘) ) if V J ¥ ] }= ¢ i ¢ adi PES PMO RR OEE ON AGRICULTURE. 209 the firft year after it was fowed: But, I have reafon to think, that after a few years, z# likewife produces fewer{eed- italks, and a greater quantity of leaves, than at firft. However that may be, it is certain that if thefe ftalks are eaten down in the fpring, it does not, like rye- grafs, perfift in a continual tendency to run to feed; but is at once determined to puth forth an abundance of leaves, with- out almoft any ftalks at all*. And as all domeftic animals, but more efpecially fheep, are extremely fond of this grais, if they have liberty to pafture where it grows, they bite it fo clofe as never to{uf- fer almoft a finele feed-ftalk to e{cape them; fo that the botanift will often earch in vain for it, when he is treading ipon it with his feet.—The bett way to difcover it in any pafture, is, to fearch for it in winter, when the tufts of it may be * From this peculiarity, it neceffarily happens, that if iheep are allowed to pafture on this grafs in the{pring, few or no feeds can be expected from it that feafon: Plants intended for feeds ought, therefore, to be pre- ferved carefully from cattle or fheep in the winter or {pring. Vox. IL r eafily 210. DASQUISITIONS éafily diftinguifhed from every other kind of grafs, by their extraordinary clofe- nefs, and the deep green colour of the leaves. It feems to grow in almoft any foil, al- though it is imagined that it w uld flou- rifh beft in a light fpungy foil, as it can evidently live with le-{s moifture than al- moft any other kind of erais, being often feen to remain in the fods that have been| employed for coping{tone dykes, after all| the other graffes that grew in them have difappeared. It 1s likewife frequently found on poor barren foils, where hardly’| any other plant can be made to grow at all; and on the furface of dry worn-out peat-mofs, where no moifture remains fuf- a ficient to fupport any other plant what-| ever.—But in neither of thefe fituations| does it thrive; as it is there only a weak and unfightly plant, very unlike what it is when it has the good fortune to be eftablifhed upon a good foil, although it is feldomer met with in this laft than in the former. From this latt circumi{tance, it ¢ appears, that thofe who imagine that a plant is I always wes oe ee ee” tas* et See SS OTE BO Le LE ON WORT CULE CUR ae always found naturally on that{oil in which it moft delights, and where it will grow to the utmoft perfection, may be very often deceived;—as fome particular circumftance relating to the economy of the plant, may prevent it from being able to eftablith itfelf in the foil in which it would thrive better than any where elfe, if it could have overcome thofe obftacles that prevent its eftablifhment there;— and that, on the contrary, it may natu- rally appear on other lef3 favourable foils, merely becaufe it does not in thefe meet with the fame obftruétions‘to prevent eftablifhment there.—This, I its am fatisfied, is exactly the cafe, with‘regard to the fheep’s fefcue. For, as its fir(t fhoots are extremely weak, it is then eafily fur- mounted by almoft every other kind of plant.—And as the feeds of other kinds of grafs that may chance to be lodged in a rich foil, ruth up with vigour, and foon cover the whole furface of the gr ound, the few feeds of this] kind of grats that may chance to be carried into thefe fields, are hardly allowed‘to vegetate, before i they ee ae Scie SUNS hee y— Nair SE aa tea neo) TE tata ee acne Recon“Nese d12 DISQUISITIONS they are entirely fmothered by the other ftronger graffes. But upon fuch barren foils as are un- fit to rear any other kinds of grafs, the feeds of this plant are allowed to come up, and the plants to grow, without meeting with the fame obftruction; and there they eftablith themfelves, from this catife, al- though. the foil is incapable of affording them afterwards that abundant nourifh- ment which is neceflary to rear the plant to perfection. ies I chofe to remark this peculiarity relat~ ing to this particular kind of grafs, rot only to fatisfy the reader of the neceffity of attending to many feemingly trifling cireumftances relating to the ceconomy of particular plants, bat alfo to guard againtit a prejudice that. might arie in the minds ef fome people, who might chance to take notice of this plant in the{ituation that have now defcribed; where, finding. it fo unlike that thriving flate in which I° have reprefented it in other paflages of this article, they might be difpofed to doubt. the truth of what I have alleged. —But if they wifh to fatisfy themfelves in ON AGRICULTURE. 463 in this refpeét, let them either tra: nfplant a few tufts from thefe barren foils into a good garden-mould, or fow the feeds there, and guard again{t their being choaked with others, and they will foon fee how different the one ee is from the other. From this fat, w may likewife draw the follewing very Aueaa corollary:— That feeing it is fo difficult to meet with a good rich foil in. fuch circumftances as to permit this plant naturally to eftablith itfelf in it,—and feeing we have v ery great reafon to imagine sie this is one of the mott valeabte gralies our country pro- duces, we have, from this fingle inftance, the cleareft proof that could be withed for, of the impoffi bility of obtaining, on all occafions, the fineft pafture, by allowing Nature to operate without any altihanes. —Heaven has endowed man with reafon, that by the exercife thereof, he may pro- mote his own felicity; and hath fubject- -ed many of thofe objects that may mini- fter to his wants, to particular natural in- conveniences, which jt is jn his power to remove, and.thus render them more emi- nently ufeful to him:—of which, this may P be oe) SPE PIER ie Waa Se eS a eat Eo+e“i= cae ing a a ie a a ERO I eer ora ge a=. Srenpicbesinse eee teoen 214 DAS QUISITIONS be looked upon as one conf{picuous exam- ple:—For, by faving the feeds of this plant, and fowing them in fufficient quan- tities, on a rich foil, properly prepared, the great number of plants that are thus efta- blifhed before thé feeds of others can be brought to the field, and made to vegetate, effectually cover the whole furface, and exclude the admiffion of others; fo that we may thus have a full crop of this va- luable plant upon a foil in which Nature could hardly ever have eftablithed it, and in which.alone it can ever arrive at its ul- timate perfection.; It may not, however, be improper to remark, as one of the excellences of this plant, that it will grow upon fuch foils as hardly any other good kinds of grafs could live upon. And although the farmer cannot from thefe expect a crop nearly equal to what he w ill reap from his richer fields, yet it is no{mall convenience for him to have a plant with which he can at once cover his moft barren{fpots, which, without this care, might have re- mained bare for many years. I will not here repeat what has been already i ON AGRICULTURE. rs already faid, about the particular property that this plant poffeffes of continuing green all winter, nor point out the bene- fits that the farmer may reap from this valuable quality.—He need, not, however, expect to find any verdure in’ winter, on fuch‘plants as grow upon the loofe mofly foil above mentioned: For, as the froft in winter always hoves up the furface of this foil, the roots of the plants are fo lacerat- ed thereby, as to make them remain for fome time in the{pring to all appearance dead.— Nor will he often perceive much verdure in winter, upon thofe plants that ie grow upon poor hungry foils, which can-* not afford abundant nourifhment to keep them in a proper{late of vegetation at all times.—But fuch plants as grow on earth- en dikes, which ufually begin to vegetate with vigour, when the autumnal rains come on, for the moft part, retain their verdure at that feafon, almoft as well as if they were in good garden-mould. I have been very particular with regard to this plant; becaufe, in fo far as my ob- {ervations have yet gone, it promifes, on Many accounts, to make a moft valuable P- 4 acquifition ee Fe Sarasa EE ee - ae ae: seaman= agenesis 35 es yee ..: ve- 216 DISQUISITIONS acquifition to the farmer, and, therefore, juftly demands a very particular fhare of his attention®.— Another very valuable pafture-grafs, is what I would call the vernal foft-grafs,—. the poa trivial, or creeping meadow-eraf{s. —No grafgs makes a more beautiful ap- pearance in the{pring than this does.— The lively verdureand clofenefs of the pile, -and the foftnefs and fucculent richyefs of the leaf, convey the moft pleafing idea to the mind that could be defired, and feem to give it a juft title to be confidered as one of the moft valuable kinds of mea- dow-grailes. It delights fo much in moifture, that it is feldom found on dry ground, unlefs the foil is exceedingly rich.—It is often found upon thofe patches near{prings, over which the water frequently flows, and may be ealily known by the uncommon foftnefs and fucculence of the blade, the lively * T find, that, even ina rich foil, this plant, after a few years, does not advance with very great luxuriancy, the pile becoming fo clofe as to check its growth. For this reafon, it is always a dry pafture, much fitter for fheep than cattle. light ne a /,{ 7 Je 440. ind ich after a the VOD UMG 7 rane Tin 1 F 7 f / IH ULL S tees t= t= ter{0 ee‘~~ aaa Le fa ete> al| { ry \f} AF| i ee ee ie abana oS See i Or IE Shas neat iri a eyes ON AGRICULTURE. ary light-green colour of the leaves, and the matted intertexture of its roots. But, though its firftleaves be— foft, when the feed-‘tal lks advance, they are rough to the touch, fo that the a then afflumes a very different aj see e from what we would have expected,—-The ear is branch- ed out into a great umber of fine ramifi- cations, fomewhat like the oat, but inf- nitely fmaller; and when the feeds are ripe, they are inveloped in a foft kind of membrane, that makes them adhere to the ftalk, and to one another after they are feparated from it, as if they were in- ; termixed with cobweb. Some. of thefe feeds were faved, and fowed by them- {elves, which came up extremely well:—. but on account of that flamentous mem- brane which makes them adhere to one another, it is extremely difficult to get them to{pread readily in fowing; and as the feed is{mall, and adheres very clofely to the ftalk, it is difficult to get it feparated from thence. On both which aceeunts, it feemed to me, that it would not be eafy to cultivate it artificially.—But if any con- trivance could be got ~ tare tere ae ee to clean the feeds, at nD+ aTraATe ren moacra ~~: oe oe——— a— ee 218 D eS OUnS Tih O-N%S a moderate expence, a very imall quantity of thefe would probably be fufficient to ftock a rich meadow with it: For;al- though it were fowed very thin, it{preads fo f. af by its running roots, as would.in a fhort time ftock the field abundanth Another eels that promifes, on fome occafions, to afford a valuable pafture- grafs, is the bulbous: foxtail-grats,— the Alopecurus bulbofus—Its leaves are broad, foft, and fucculent, and feel'a little woolly to the touch. Thefe{pring out in great abundance froma ftrong, firm, mat- fn kind of root; and if they are cut over gy ot- cy STN{i ve~ Cad Tigh T r“oP at any time during fummer, they very / CD 7 ckl% dvance ac: in{( Ca 9 Co ab T Quickly advance again, iO as to get above 4 gant a fa iC a 7 almoft all the other kinds of yraffes.—The y feed-ftalk is long, and very ftrong, being L between four and five feet high, and is ) crowned with a round brufh-like foft head, which confifts almoft entirely of light {caly-like feeds.—But, like the purple fef- cue, it fends out but very few flower- ftalks; 1o that a crop of it allowed to come to feed, Aste, but a very thin, ftrag- cling, and unfighth appearance.—-Jn other refpects, it much refembles the whole plant ately Pr it in mat- over very ove he Ing d 1s ead, light e fel- KAD prise Fah 6 LASTDD x, LiSSESt Sth CE i / ye S Pulleus Vat ae oe ops Z GN AGRICUL YT UAE oag lately introduced from America, known by the name of‘Timothy-grafs, o only its leaves are fofter, and of a darker green colour;—and the head is likewife foft and {caly, inftead of being hard, and in fome degree prickly, as is the cafe with Timo- thy-grafs. The feeds alfo are exceedingly foft and chafty, very unlike the frm round feeds of Timothy-grafs. it feems to delight chiefly ina moift foil, and therefore promifes to be only fit for a meadow pafture-erafs.‘The quality that firft recommended it to my notice, was the unufual firmnefs that its matted roots gave to the furface of the ground, naturally foft and moift,in which it grew; which feemed to promife that it might be of ufe upon fuch foils, chiefly in prevent- ing them from being much poached by the feet of cattle which may pafture upon them.—Mofly foils* efpecially are fo much hurt by poaching, that any thing which promifes to be of ufe in preventing it, deferves to be attended to. * By moffy foils is here meant fuch as contain turf or peat.“The Irith would call thefe bogs. The cr 220 DISQUISITIONS The feeds were fowed in garden-mould, and came up very well; but I have not yet obtained a fufficient quantity of thefe, to try how it would antwer for the purpofe that I had chiefly in view when I thought of cultivating it. I have remarked, that the ftalks of this plant are extremely tough and flexible when made into hay,{o.as to be better fitted for making ropes for faft- ening thatch with, than any other plant| have yet feen, If my experience with regard to Timo- enable me to{peak of its qualities with certainty, 1 would have here enumerated them. But having found no reafon, from the trials that I made of it, to think that it promifed to be of very great value; and being fenfible that the attention of the pub- lic was already direéted towards it, I left others to make the neceflary experiments with regard to it.—And I only mention it here, left fome might have thought it an omifiion. The: great. meadow-erafs,—the Poa pratenfis,{eems to approach, in many re{pects,.to the nature of the purple- 5 fefcue, oe { I 0 ' | fe: 4/8 tH. —— eee ee (é b} is Ctl v4 Cc A; 7,/ “KM OF LE iif fos ? ON AGRICULTURE: 22: fefcue, only that its leaves are broader, and not near fo long, being only about a foot er fixteen inches at their greateft length. -—Like it, it produces few feed-ftalks, and many leaves, and is an abiding plant: But Ihave not yet had an opportunity of try- ing the effects of culture upon it, having only faved the feeds of it, for the firkt time, laft feafon. The creeping meadow-egrafs, the Poa repens,{eems to be the moft valuable grafs of any of this genus. Its leaves are firm and fucculent—of a dark Saxon- green colour, and grow fo clofe upon one another as to form the richeft pile of paf- ture-grafs.—The flower-ftalks, if fuffered to grow, appear in fufficient quantities 5 but the growth of thefe does not prevent the erowth of the leaves, both ancing adv together during the whole tummer; and when the ftalks fade, the leaves continue as green as before*.—Its leaves are much : larger, / * Culmiferous graffes might be’ divided into two general clafles, for the purpofes of the farmer, that it might be of ufe for him to attend to, vz. 1/7. Thofe which, like the common annual kinds of corn, run chiefly ee dee ee™ Pay eS € 222 DISQUISITIONS larger, and more abundant than the com- mon meadow-grafs, Poatriviahs,and there- fore it deferves to be cultivated.—This de-| {cription is taken from the plant in its na- tive ftate—How it may be altered by cul- ture, I know not. I have attempted to fave fome feeds of this plant for two years fucceffively; but have never been able to get them in any other way than by gathering with the hand, which is a troublefome and tedious opera- tion: And if the feafon is rainy, or the ground on which the grafs grows is very rich, it is difficult to obtain the feeds even in this way: for, as in thefe cafes the leaves continue to grow with luxuriance, chiefly to feed-ftalks; the leaves gradually decaying as thefe advance towards perfection, and become totally withered, or fall off entirely, when the feeds are ripe, Rye-grafs belongs to this clafs, in the{tri@eft fenfe: to it likewife may be affigned, the vernal grafs, dogs- tail-grafs, and fine bent-grafs—2d, Thofe whofe leaves continue to advance even after the feed-ftalks are form- ed, and retain their verdure and fucculence during the whole feafon, as is the cafe with the Fefcue and Poa tribe of graffes, whofe leaves are as green and fuccu- lent when the feeds are ripe, and the flower-ftalks fad- ing, as at any other time. they Os fp 446). IDEAS. 1pe, nfe; Z ie(OS logs.) K eaves Z; Uf,) Gy}) ait Cre he i MOOT y a c the C es EES : Poa t A, F db:; 46, thf t s1t7, IC Y z yc fad hey a a ee, ABs” i le an eave 7 ad a 4 ne or—> ss< Fate ~ a ORE ee~ cen a gr z lle a Z<5 ON AGRICULTURE. 273 they foon overtop the feed-ftalks, and, of confequence, the leaves being fo clofe up- on one another, both the leaves and fait are often rotted before the feeds come to favei Gy. perfection. z This is j5erhan on OF E! fiio re) pei racer S ULE} c able kinds of cent and therefore 1¢ molt value 7 a merits a more than ordinary degree of at- tention, to try if the feeds can be obtained in fuch quantities as to be ufeful to the farmer.—It appears to me, that the only probable w ay of fucceeding in thi attempt, willbe, to fow fome of the feeds upon a clean{harp piece or ground, natu- rally, dry, and not very rich at the time. If it were once eftablithed on fuch a foil, it would carry abundance of feeds every feafon, and there would be little probabi Cc auUi= lity that it would be rotted before the feeds were ripe: But as the leave moft part higher than the ftalks befor time of cutting, and as thef extremely fucculent wh proper to make the whole of this{cant crop into hay,— J (@) st —_ © c Cr ww fom cr <4 = rat fe ee ut it up ina rick till oe {pring, and then t are light and chaffy, and are neither eafily % 1 leparated IE Hi i aa 224 DISQUISITIONS feparated from the ftalk, nor difentangled from the hay;{o that care mutt be taken that the thrething and fhaking are carefully performed. Or, what would be better— cut the hay, by means of a chaff-cutter, as fimall as it can be done, and ftrew the whole thinly over the field. As it i8 an abiding grafs, it is worth being at fome expence and trouble, to get it once firmly eftablithed. Thefe obfervations are, in fome mea- fure, applicable to all the graffes of the Poa tribe*. I have already mentioned the vernal- grafs, and the ule that I apprehended it might be of for giving a rich flavour to milk or butter:—But if, upon trial, it fhall not be found to poffefs that quality, it does not, on any other account that I have as yet obferved, much deferve the attention of the farmer.—As a pafture- grais, it feems to be fubjected to all the *‘The leaves of all the{pecies of Poa graffes are re- markably tender and fucculent, which renders them peculiarly proper food for cattle, as this clafs of ani-~ mals delight as much in fucculent food, as fheep do in dry paftures. The feeds of the whole tribe are en- tangled together, by the cobweb-like filaments already eS J noticed. inconveniences PAN 7. } r Se> Bee( Fe al& Ly— VAs 7 9 Lorna UIA 7 C 4 ON AGRICULTURE. 22; inconveniences of the common rye-graf{s; becauie, like that, it runs almoft entirely to flower-ftalks, very early in the feafon, during the formation of which, the leaves are totally exhaufted, fo that the cattle muft either eat thefe, or want entirely.— Its leaves do, indeed,{pring up after it is cut over, or eaten down by cattle, and re- main green pretty late in autumn: but it does not feem that ever thefe will yield a very abundant crop; fo that it would pro- bably require either to be cut and con- fumed green, or made into‘hay, like rye- grafs, if it fhould ever be deemed worth the cultivating—It may, however, be remarked, in its praife, that it grows with luxuriance upon a much more indifferent foil than many other kinds of gra{s; on which account, it might be, on fome oc- cafions, of confiderable value. Nearly the fame thing may be faid of the crefted dogs-tail-grafs(Cynofurus cry fiatus) commonly known, in Scotland, by the name of Windleftraw-grais, excepting that it poffefies no uncommon tafte or {mell; but, like the former, it runs chiefly to ftalks, and has but few leaves, which Vot. II. Q are 226 DISQUISITIONS are fhort, and remain green pretty late in Winter.—I have gathered fome of the feeds of both thefe, and fhall foon be able to fpeak of them with a greater degree of certainty™., i am well acquainted with the fine bent-grats}, fo much recommended by Mr. Stillingfleet, in his Effays; but think it is, by no means, of{uch uncommon va- lue, as he feems to imagine.—Cattle and horfes will eat it, when pinched for food; but it is with difficulty they can be kept upon a field where this grafs chiefly abounds; fo that they will leave it if they can, and go to other fields, much barer, that contain more palatable graffes; nor do they almoft ever grow fat upon it; and therefore, I would not recommend it to the improving farmer. Nor does it ap- pear to me, that the flote-fefcue is of half the value that he has been made to believe. I was alfo at pains to get fome feeds of * From a peculiarity of circumftances, not neceflary to be here enumerated, the authcr found it impoffible to profecute his experiments on thefe grafles. + Agroftis Tenuiffima. the ————————————— tb, FO fi.- IS ae Se Ry — \ \ ~~ w~ MS <3) baa o>. nor and t to ap- is of te to eds of Gh. Hi Za le O poled- Ly pili re necellary npofvle y Se tAken é the —P:=x=== Se om :=: See ae a i A , isda { ‘ q ir ay & ON AGRICULTURE. ax the American Cocks-foot-grafs* that was lately advertifed, as of ineftimable value. Like all the other. grafles of this tribe, it is a{trong robuft plant.—lIts leaves are broad, firm, and roughith, of a light green colour, but neither are very long nor clofe upon one another:—its ftalks rife thin and ftraggling;—are ftrong, and feel rough to the touch,—rifing to the height of near four feet, o1 a good foil.—It does not promife either to yield an abundant crop of hay, nora clofe pile for pafture;— nor does its appearance fee to indicate that it would be of the moft palatable fort for cattle—The quantity I have is too {mall to permit me to{peak with great certainty.—It feems to be a plant that would require a dampifh foil. All thefe belong to the clafs of culmi- ferous plants, and are what Botanitts call Gramina, or grafles properly fo called. But as there are many other plants that may be employed by the farmer for the fame ufes as thefe, it is by no means ne- ceflary that he fhould confine himfelf to * DaGylus Americanus. Q 2 this i“— NS me ap PEAT Lat a we— 208 DAIS OUPSITIONS this clafs of plants alone, or be directed in his refearches by any. other rule except- ing’ that of utility.—The following plants, therefore, are pointed out to him, as pro- mifing to be of fome ,ufe on_ particular occafions. ~Milkwort, as it is called in fome parts of this country, the Coronilla Corniculata of Hudfon, is a plant common in every part of the ifland, although it has never yet, that I have heard of, been attempted to be cultivated. The general appearance of this humble plant, is, in fome refpects, very like that of the common white clover, although its leaves, upon a nearer examination, are not exactly fimilar to thofe of this plant. —From the top of the root, there comes out, in the fpring, a great number of{mall fhoots, that{pread along the furface of the ground, every way around it; from which arife a great many clufters of bright yel- low flowers, exactly refembling thofe of common broom, in fhape,.fize, and co- Jour; which are fucceeded by hard round pods, filled with{mall kidney-fhaped feeds. And as three or four of thefe pods | ufually Hie , [420 ~~(A IA. del. Sil. 1. ww VS "ae S By f A yy Za Za Ay‘ v ) i) AN LE HEE RIE LL. rc: a a ONY eR OCUL TURE... 236 ufually adhere to one foot-ftalk, from which they fpread open at the points, a little refembling the fingers of an open hand, they have, from this circumftance, been, by the vulgar, in fome places, called Ladies-fingers*; while others, more ftruck with the refemblance that thefe pods bear to the foot of a bird, have diftinguifhed it by the name of Crow-toes; and others, from the appearance of the bloffom and the part where the plant is found, have called it fealt, or, by corruption, fe//- broom. It is found plentifully almoft every- Where in old grafs-fields; but as every * The reader will pleafe to obferve, that this is not the plant which properly bears the Englifh name of La- dies-fingers—the Anthyilis of Botanitts. + Neither is this the plant that bears the name of Crow-foot, properly, in Englifh—which is the Ranun- culus of Botanifts. t If any fod is dug from the furface of the ground, in which a root of this plant chances to be, and it be put upon the top of a funk-fence wall, or in any other place that is not entirely deftitute of moifture, the plant does not die, but fends out annually great tufts of flow- ers, which were not, perhaps, obferved on the pafture from which the fod(feal) was dug, which probably firft fugeefted the idea ef that name. Or3{pecies 230 DISQUISITIONS {pecies of domeftic animal eats it almoft in preference to every other plant, it is feldom allowed to come to the flower in _pafture-grounds, unlefs where they have been accidentally faved from the cattle for fome time; fo that it is only about the borders of corn-fields, or the fides of inclofures to which cattle have not accefs, that we have’an opportunity of obferving it. As it has been imagined that the cows which feed on thofe paftures where this abounds, yield a great quantity of rich milk, the plant has, from that circum- {tance, obtained its moft proper Englith name of milk-vetch, But the circumftance that firft recom- mended it to my notice, was, the having obferved that it grows and flourifhes in poor barren ground, where fcarcely any other plant can be made to live. I have feen it in the midft of a barren moor, where the foil was fopoor, that even heath, or ling(erica communis) could hardly grow; and upon bare obdurate clays, where no other plant could be made to vegetate; insomuch, that the furface re- mained entirely uncovered, unlefs where a plant i yl ON: AGRICULTURE.- 231 a plant of this kind chanced to be efta- blithed: yet, even in thefe unfavourable circumftances, it flourifhed with an un- common degree of luxuriance, and yield- ed as tender and fucculent, though not fuch abundant fhoots, as if they had been reared in the richeft-manured fields.—I have likewife feen it in dry and barren fands, where fcarcely any other plantcould| be made to live; and there alfo it fends out fuch a number of healthy fhoots all round, as cover the earth with the clofeft and moft beautiful carpet that can be defired. The ftalks of this plant, as has been faid, are weak and flender; fo that. they {pread upon the furface of the ground, unlefs they are fupported by fome. other vegetable. In ordinary foils, they do not grow to a great length, nor produce a great many re; but. im richer fields, ee ftalks grow to a much greater length, —branch out a good deal, but carry few sr_no flowers or feeds; and as I firft took notice of it only on poor foils, it was purely with a view to pafture that I firft refolved to cultivate it; and, with this Q 4 intention, een 232 DISQUISITIONS intention, fowed it with my ordinary hay-feeds, expeéting no material benefit from it, till I defifted from cutting my field; but found myfelf agreeably difap- pointed, as it grew the firft feafon as tall as my great clover, and formed the fineft hay I ever faw,—it being icarcely diftin- cuifhable from Lucerne, but by the flen- dernefs of the ftalk, and proportional{mall- nets of tie leat: It is nearly allied to Lucerne, in its botanical chara¢ters, and refembles that valuable plant, in many other refpects.— Like that, it is perennial,—fends down a long root, to a great depth in the foil, which is at firft{mall, and gradually in- creafes with age, till it at length becomes of a very confiderable fize; fo that it 1s {everal years after it is firft fowed, before it attains its full perfection: But when it is once eftablifhed, it probably remains there for a prodigious number of years, in full vigour, and produces annually a great quantity of fodder. In autumn, 1773, I cut the ftalk from an old plant of it that orew in a very indifferent foil; and after having dried it thoroughly, found that it 3 weighed 5 er ee = ost ON AGRICULTURE. 233 2 weighed fourteen ounces anda half. Like Lucerne, it is never affected with the fe- vereft droughts that we experience: But it does not refemble that plant in delicate- nefs of conftitution, as it thrives in the itiffeft clays, and is able to ftand its ground among gra{s, or any other weeds. As this plant only produces feeds in abundance upon poor hungry foils, that could hardly afford nourifhment to any other, and as the ftalks fpread out clofe upon the furface of the ground, it feems to me, that the greateft bar to the culti- vating thereof, will be the difficulty of obtaining the feeds in abundance, as, in thefe circumftances they muft always be gathered by the hand. But as it is an abiding plant, thofe who have fuch foils as moft ftand in need of having plants of this fort fowed upon them, may be at a little trouble and expence to get them at once. properly laid down. with this grafs, as it will be only once that they will need to doit.‘Tt is poffible, that future expe- rience may difcover fome eafier way of procuring the feeds than hath as yet occur- red to me. The Sr 234 DISQUISITIONS The ftalks of this plant die down en- tirely in winter, and do not come up in the{pring till the fame time*that clover begins to advance, fo that it can never be of ufe but as a fummer-pafture— Neither does it advance very faft after it is cut down, or eaten over, even in fummer; but the great clofenefs of the fhoots may probably counterbalance that defeét. I have feen another{pecies of the aftra- galus, with an ereét ftalk, that naturally grows upon dampifh foils; but have had no opportunity of making particular ob- fervations upon it, nor have as yet been able to procure any of its feeds. It feems more likely to anfwer well for hay than this does, as its ftalks are longer. The common yellow vetchling, Lathy- rus pratenfis, or everlafting-tare, might likewife be, on many occafions, cultivated with profit by the farmer.—It grows with great luxuriance in ftif clayey foils, and continues to yield annually, for any length of time, a great weight of forage, which is deemed to be of the very beft quality, And as it is equally fit for pafture or for hay, the farmer would have it in his power iS oes. we Nee: Nf NV ( :\ va ( 2 5‘ eS EE. Oe Bay a Ot Rawr sa head of clover, but larger; there lging only one circle of flowers, each of whichflowers, taken fingly, is of a much larger fize than a clover flower, and of a ‘pale pink or bluth colour. The plant has no clafpers, but it fends forth flowers at every joint, which fucceffively come into blofiom, from the month of May, till the end of the feafon. Its roots are fibrous and fpread to a great diftancc, near the fur- face of the ground, from which it fends up abundance of fhoots all around, fo as to become very troublefome in a garden. With a view to propagate this plant, { tried to gather its feeds, but I foon found that was a very hopeleis tafk; for the: pods, in general, fall off foon after the flower is gone, fo that not one out of fome hundreds ever bears a feed. I then tried to propagate it by its running roots, and R 2 fucceeded 244 DISQUISITIONS fucceeded in this way to my with. Hav- ing dug up a number of thofe roots, and divided them into pieces, leaving at leaft one good eye to each(but better three or four, as thefe roots can eafily be got in abundance, after you have once obtained the plant) I planted thefe by a dibble, about one foot diftant from each, in-a. {mall patch newly dug over, in the month of May, as might have been done in a field of Lomeli barley. It was left in that ftate without farther trouble(unlefs to cut down the weeds, to prevent them from coming to feed) with a view to fee if it could be made thus to fill the ground. Next feafon, the whole patch was com- pletely ftocked with plants, which by the beginning of May, afforded a full crop of Juxuriant her bage, more than a foot high over the whole; which in appearance very much refembled a field of‘fainfoin, only that it was confiderably clofer in the pile. It was cut over during the feafon, three times, and afforded at ay cutting a great load of very fine herbage. Thus far does my exborinses go, and no farther.", It eftablithes the faét, that it eo, as ) wens ON AGRICULTURE. 243 may be very, eafily propagated, and that it grows luxuriantly. The only inconve- nience I can perceive, from the rearing of. this crop, would be this: It increafes fo very faft by the roots, that it probably would come, in a fhort time, to overftock the foil fo much, as of neceflity to dwarf the plants very much, and make its pro- duce trifling. Should that happen to be the-cafe, an obvious remedy occurs:— Whenever this malady was feen to come on, it would only be neceffary to run a plough-furrow down the field, at the end of autumn, when the plant dies en- ‘tirely down, and at the back of that an- other, and fo on over the: whole field; leaving it in ribs, or ridgelets, about two feet wide. In this ftate let it remain, till the month of April, and then harrow ‘ down thefe ridgelets, fo as to fmooth the field, gathering off the roots which are torn eut, and either employing them as plants where wanted, or giving them to beafts, if they fhall be found, upon trial, to be palatable and nourifhing;. otherwife, they may be thrown away, as ufeleds. Notwithitanding the feeming boldné& of . eae~ this ee 246 DISQUISITIONS this procefs, there can be no doubt, but the whole field would be abundantly ftock- ed with plants for the enfuing feafon, which, in confequence of this kind of hoeing, would grow with the greateft fux- uriance. By repeating the fame opera- tion every year, there can be no doubt but the field might be continued to yield abun- dant crops of this kind of herbage, for many years.. Thefe hints are here offered merely as experimental trials, not as practical direc- tions, which are the refult of experience. —The qualities of the plant require to be more fully afcertained before the cul- ture of it fhould*be entered upon at large,—for I well know that experience often difcovers defects which are not ob- vious upon a-firft trial—But if, among a number of trials, one only fucceeds, much good is gained by it to the community at large.. At prefent, when great. clover becomes fo fhy in many places, it is of great importance to try to obtain a fub- ftitute for it—This is, at leaft, a proba- ble one.—Ii is certain that it may be pro- pagated, as above, fully as cheap as red clover: ON AGRICULTURE. 247 clover 3; and as it is’ a perennial plant, ‘fhould it anfwer in other refpecis, much faving would be made in the article of pro- pagation. We have lately had another plant re-~ commended to our notice, by the cultiva- tors in France, from which great chopes have been entertained, the Chicor1um:In= tybus. It is a ftrong, robutt, coarte’ look- ing plant—but from the few trials I made upon it, it did not feem quite to anfwer the hopes that were entertained fromit. In one refpect, indeed, it feems fully to an- fwer expectations; for both cattle and horfes feem to relifh it almoft above any other plant, fo as to eat it very greedily. If it be cut and given to them, before its ftalks have acquired a woody hardnefs, I have never{een one bit,of ,it refuted by them. Several other plants have, of late, been recommended to the notice of the Britifh Farmer, for cultivation, by well-informed cultivators, among which I have’ feen none that promifesbetter than the Medicago Lupulina, an abiding plaat, that grows with great luxuriance, and is relifhed by all cat~ R 4 tle 248 DISQUISITIONS tle.—But if others fhall be as unfucceff- ful as I have been, in faving its feeds, it will bea matter of great difficulty, indeed, ever to get it propagated in abundance; for though I had near a dozen of healthy plants of it for three years, I could{carce- ly fave: the feeds from a dozen of pods, in a feafon. To return to our. pafture- graffes: The narrow-leaved. plantain,, or rib- erafs, is well liked by horfes and*cattle, and yields a very good crop, upon, rich ground,‘tending to dampnefs, if it 1s at the fame time fott and{pungy; but upon any foil that has a tendency to bind, or upon dry ground, it furnifhes but a very {canty crop. But as both this and white or Dutch clover have been long culti- vated as pafture-grafles, itisntets necel,’. fary for me. to recommend them to the. public notice: they are both good pafture- grafles. The{mall grafs-leaved plantain* de- ferves the attention of, the farmer, asa yaluable pafture-grafs, Like the muk- * Plantago tenutfolia. ’ i. Z fied f Vp= Sit Y ee ae Kha fy[F;, * de-, Nenu leavoeo oy Larlay? vy ; /) o as 4‘ Jul yr py nae U ON AGRICULTURE. 249 wort, it will thrive upon barren foils, where hardly any other plant could lives, It may be moft eafily diftinguifhed on poor clays, where it is frequently found witheut the mixture of any other plant.—But it alfo abounds in many other pafture-fields, where the graffy-like appearance of its leaves prevents it from being remarked. I have feen fome downs(links) upon the fea-fhore, the foil of which confifted of a fhelly fand, that were covered with this plant, almoft entirely. Its leaves are fmall, and have much the appearance of fome of the thickeft and moft fucculent kinds of grafs.—lIts flower-ftalks are numerous,—about eight or nine inches long, and the fpike of flowers and head ufually about three or four,inches long.—It produces abundance of feeds, which could be faved at little expence. Cattle, horfes, and theep eat the leaves greedily; efpecially fheep, which bite it very clofe to the ground. On this ac- count, the feed-ftalks are feldom feen but on the top of feal-dikes, or on other corners to which no kind of cattle have 2.- accels.—— aso DISQUISITIONS accefs.—Even the ftalks, while fucculent, are cropped readily by cattle: But when they are hardened, and the feeds begin to ripen, they appear very coarfe and dif- agreeable to look at. No plant bears the fea air better;—and it grows well where it is fometimes cover- ed with falt-water.—It would, therefore, do weil for falt-marthes. I fhall only mention one other plant that hascome within the fphere of my obferva- tion,as deferving to be cultivated by the far- mer, viz. the common yarrow*, Achillea millefolium, or hundred-leaved grafs, as it is fometimes called. Thofe who may have formed an opi- 1 nion of this plant, from what they have remarked of it by way fides,‘or other neglected corners where: its flower-ftalks have been allowed to advance, and its feeds to ripen, will probably be much furprifed to hear# recommended as a: * The farmers in Scotland wil! pleafe to take notice, that this is not the plant known among them by the name of Yarr, Spurrey(Spergula) but another plant, of very different qualities, as they will obferve upon pe- rufing the text. valuable o oP) Pa) ——_ that rVie illea bi) Opis nave the! talks d its we > ) vf //, COUCO ¢ lj Le) 4 2 Wa fs J Vf, PUL ms 2 Ss<_ rs 24 er Spe. r= aa a= ON AGRICULTURE. 251 - valuable pafture-grafs, as they may very naturally imagine that no animal ever taftes it. For thefe flower-ftalks are care- fully avoided by every animal, while? alk the plants around them are eaten to the ground. But this plant is not fingular in having its leaves relifhed by many animals, and fearched for with avidity, while its lower- {talks are rejected by them with difguf. For Nature, probably with a view to pre- ferve the feeds of thofe plants pee de- {truétion, that were intended-to clothe the fields with verdure, and furnifh abundant food for all the claffes of graminivorous * animals, hath rendered moft of their feed-{talks difagreeable to the tafte of ani- mals in general:—hence it happens, that the feed- sftalls of almoft all the grailes, properly fo called, are difliked by almoft every quadruped, while their leaves are relifhed as the moft grateful food that they can find}; and therefore, thoie kinds of ot a{s} * Animals that feed upon plants. + Ought not this to afford a prefumption, that the hay which is made of the flower-ftalks of culmiferous crafles, a eo =. te ae See TT 252 DISQUISITIONS a grafs, that run chiefly te feed-ftalks, are difliked as a pafture. It is probable, that la the feed-ftalks of every plant of this clafs,| i are equally difagreeable, and would be equally avoided by them, were it not for the{mall fize of fome of thefe, and the number of leaves with which they are enveloped; which, at the{ame time, pre-| vents the animal from{electing them from the other parts of its food, and from feel- ing the difagreeable flavour that they noua be poffeffed of, if they were eaten| by themfelves.| But if the plant of which we now treat, is allowed to remain untouched till its feed-ftalks are formed, thefe become fo large, and are fo eafily feparated from alk other plants, that every animal which feeds there can diftinguifh and avoid them with the greateft facility;- fo that while the leaves that{pring out at the root are eaten down clofe to the ground, the ftalks are allowed to remain untouched, till their grafles, will not be{0 palatable or nourifhing as that| which is made from the leaves, or other parts of fuch plants as admit of this?| - feeds e — Se ae as Ss 3 o3 ZT TT > ) WHO Gd. , hi ON AGRICULTURE. 263 feeds are perfected. And as, by their nae tural ftrength, they are able to refift the anclemencies of the weather, and remain ftanding long afterwards upon the fame {pot, when they aflume a very difagree- able appearance, we have been induced, from thefe circumftances, to’ think but very meanly of the whole plant. This prejudice is full farther augment ed by another circumftance that rather ought, in the ftrongeft manner, to demon- {trate the real value and excellence of this plant. For, as we never fee one feed- ftalk of this grafs, in our fineft pafture- fields, we too haftily imagine that 7¢ in no cafe contributes to the goodnefs of them. —But the fa@ is dire@tly the reverfe of what it appears: For, upon a clofer in- {pection, it wall be found, that in almott every fine old pafture, a very great pro- portion of the growing vegetables with which it is covered, confifts of this very def{pifed plant;—but the animals who feed there, are fo fond of it, as never to allow one flalk of ity in thefe fituations, to come to feed; fo that it there always confifts of leaves, which are confounded with others of pies s:-- ia tes— = E aS—————> ee See> eee os To obtain this conftant fupply of freth erats, let us fuppofe that a farmer who has a large extent of pafture-ground, fhould have-it divided into fifteen or twenty divifions, nearly of equal value; and that inftead of allowing his beafts to lightly ftocked with cattle; it being a fmaller evil to lofe a confiderable proportion of heir grafs, than to have iheir cattle in any degree ftinted in their food. roam - ON AGRICULTURE, 263 ‘roam indifcriminately through the whole at once, he fhould collect the whole num- ber of beafts that he intends to feed, into one flock, and turn them all at once, in- to one of thefe: divifions: In this cafe, the grafs being quite frefh, and of a fuf- ficient length for a full bite, it would pleafe their palate fo much, as. to in- duce them to eat of it greedily, and fll their bellies before they thought of roam- ing about, and thus deftroying it with their feet. And if the number of beatfts were fo great as to confume the beft part of the grafs of one of thefe inclofures in one day, they might be allowed to re- main there no longer;—giving them a freth inclofure every morning, fo as that the fame delicious repaft might be again repeated. And if there were juft fo many inclofures, as there required days to make the grafs of thefe fields advance to a pro- per length after being eaten bare down, the firft field would be ready to receive them, by the time they had gone over all the others; fo that they might be thus earried round in a con{tant rotation. But as it would be neceflary to allow 5 4 his 2644 DISQUISITIONS his fattening beafts always to have a full bite, it would not be proper to keep fo many of.thefe as would at any time eat one of thefe fields quite bare in a day.—. And as the grafs that they would thus ' leave behind them, would, if left in that flate, in part run to feed before they could return to the field, while fome other parts of it would be withered or half-rot- ted, the paftures would be thus rendered Jefs{weet and nourifhing, than they would otherwife haye been:—And as there would likewife be a{maller quantity of grafs produced on the field in this w ay, than if it had been eaten quite bare to the ground, it would be great want of economy in the farmer, not to keep an- other fet of young or lean beafts, which fhould regularly fucceed the firft, and eat up all that they had left, fo as to make it quite bare, and put itein a proper condi- tion for vegetating again with vigour, And as it would Pe always in his power to augment or diminifh this laft ftock, as circumftances might ae by keeping a few fupernumerari ics in fome foare field, pr by buying in others, i@would feem that he ON AGRICULTURE. 26; ‘he would thus have a probability of reap- meg the full benefit of every blade of grafs that could be reared upon the field;— more efpécially if the circumftances men- tioned in the following Difquifition, were duly attended to. There is no doubt, however, that cat- tle, when allowed to roam at large on an extenfive field, will fatten very kindly, if they have a fufficient quantity of foot: But the queftion at prefent is, Whether the fame field wilk feed,~to perfection, a greater number of beafts in the ohe or the other mode of managing it? The{ubject is of importance, and deferves to bé elu- cidated by proper decitive experiments. See this fubje@t farther elucidated, Vol. ITI, Effay Third. XXXVII. Can the produce, of a farm be, in gene- ral, confumed with as much profit by only_ one fpecies of domeftic animals, as by a greater variety of thefe?—If the lat thail be the cafe, which of the animals com- ? monly propagatéd by the farmer in this Pre country 766.-DISQUIST TIONS 1] country could be moft economicall y rear- ed upon the fame. farm with others?— And, in that cafe, what would be ue moft proper r li That is to ey hether ou sh they to be allowed to pafture on the fame field at ohne time, or to fucceed one another upon it'—If fo, In what order ought they to follow one another? As it is certain that-onerclafs of animals, on many ee delights to feed upon plants which are totally difrezarded by, or which are even noxious to others, it would feem, that unlefs a man had his farm in fuch order as that no one plant would grow upon it which he did not cultivate, it might fo happen, that among the variety of plants which fpontaneoufly fpring upon it, there would be fome that would be improper for any one clafs of animalss—a!l of which_ plants would. be totally loft, if he thould confine himfelf to that fingle{pecies o mal only. But as few farms are in the or- der here fuppofed, it feems highly proba- ble, that it would be always an advantage for ON AGRICULTURE. 267 for the farmer to keep more clafles of ani- mals than one upon his farm: And confi- dering it merely in this view, the greater variety he could keep, the lefs wafte he would fuftain. But other economical con- fiderations may frequently make it proper for him to fubmit to this lofs, inftead.of perhaps a greater, that, he might fuftain by too clofely guarding again{t it. The rural economift teaps another ad- vantage by allowing different clafles of ani- mals to pafture the fame field:_ For, even fuppofing that the whole of the plants pro- duced upon it fhould be wholefome and agreeable to one clafs, yet as no animal will eat the grafs that fprings up where one of its own fpecies has dunged till it has got a win- ter’s froft, although the grafs produced by this means is greedily eaten by another clafs of animals,—if no more than one{pecies is ever admitted into any field, the wafte which is fuftained by that means muft be very confiderable; which would have been totally faved. by a more pradent+manage- ment. On another account, likewife, we would expect that the farmer would derive fome advantage 268 DISQUISITIONS advantage by keeping different clafles of animals rather than one fpecies: For, as fome of thefe naturally prefer the flowers and ftalks of plants, which others reject, and only eat the leaves; while other kinds are ftill more fond of the roots;— and as fome kinds bite much clofer‘to the ground than others do; it would feem, that by having different clafles upon the fame field, much would be faved that muft aeicr wife have been loft. The Dutch, who are in all cafes attentive~ to economy, have long perceived the bene- fit that may be reaped from a due attention to this circumftance, and have turned it to their advantage’; fo that it has become a common obfervation among them, that when eight cows have been in a pafture« field, and,.can no longer get any nourifh- ment from it, two horfes will ufually fub- fift in it very well for fome days; and:when nothing is left for the horfes, four fheep will live comfortab! ly upon it for fome time Jonger.» In which cafe, it is plain, that if nothing but cows had been kept’ upon the pafture, all that was confumed by the horfes and fheep would have been loft, I imagine ones Se ON AGRICULTURE. 269 I imagine, that all kinds of animals ufu- ally feed moft quietly when they are not mixed with others} and therefore it is pro- bable,. it would be ufually the moft advifa- ble to keep the different clafles feparate, as in-the Dutch experiment: but whether the order they prefcribe is the beft or not, I cannot pretend‘to fay. As goats love the flowers and ftalks, it is probable that they {hould be firft put into the field. Thefe might be followed by cattle who love to get a full bite, and cannot eat clofe to the ground. Horfes,~as delighting in fhorter pafture, would probably fucceed them with advantage; and fheep, that delight in the crowns of roots, and that part of the grafs which grows neareft the ground, ought, in all cafes, to come laft. Probably, hogs and fome other animals might be wanted to eat up the whole of the plants, without the {mallet wafte. By‘making different claffes of animals thus fucceed each Gther, in due proportions, in the different fields, as mentioned in the Jaft Difquifition, it feems probable,’ that every plant might be eaten ¢lofe to the eround, without flarviag any of the beafts that 276 DISQUISITION'S that are fed upon the field; and thug the vegetation be kept up perpetually freth and vigorous, without the{malleft watte. We are thus alfo enabled to obferve the great utility that would refult from carrying ~on the bufinefs of a grazier upon a very ex tenfive fcale, as it is only in thefe circums {tances that the juft proportion of the differ- ent clafies of animals could be kept for effectually anfwering the purpofe required. See this fubject farther elucidated in the 3d Effay, Vol, III, of this Work. XXXVIII. Are there not many ufeful domeftic ani- mals known in different parts of the globe, that might be economically reared in this country,-and tend much to promote the progrefs of ufeful arts, if they were intro- duced?—If this be fo, what are the animals that promife.to be of the greateft utility, and the particular purpofes that each of them might be fuppofed moft effeCtually to ferve? So... 6 Ss For. the reafons alleged in the forego- ing Difquifition, it is plain, that the greater 2 the _ et he ON AGRICULTURE: 27} the variety of ufeful animals is among which the farmer may be at liberty to choofe, the greater chance he will have to get every product of his farm confumed to the utmoft advantage. For, as different clafies of ani- mals require food of different kinds, he will thus haye a chance of getting every ufelefs vegetable confumed with profit. Hitherto,, the attention of the farmer has almoft never extended farther than to the five domeftic animals fo often mentioned in this Eflay—horfes, cattle, fheep, goats, and hogs; fo that even fome animals that are natives of this ifland have been totally neglected, or confidered in fome meafure as wild, and therefore beyond the{phere of the farmer’s attention.- Of this fortis the rabbit; which, it is pofsible, might, on many gccafions, be kept as a tame animal with great profit, as it: eats almoft every green thing, and could. probably be nourifhed upon plants that are rejected by all our ether domeftic animals: and its fur, if the rabbit be of the beft fort, is of fuch value, as always to be fure of coming to a ready market.. But, not to dwell on what may by many be 272 DISQUISITIONS be deemed fuch an unimportant object, We may obferve, that there feems to be no reafon in the nature of things to make us fufpect, that the goat of Angora, which furnithes the fine Mo-hair that conftitutes. fuch a confiderable branch of our: Levant- trade, might not thrive in Britain as well as© in its native country: For, although we do get this wool from ports that are fituated in a warm climate, yet the animal itfelf lives upon the rocky mountains of Pontus, where it experiences a very. confiderable degree of cold: And it might probably be bettered, rather than rendered worfe, by being introduced into Britain. The fame argument might be adduced, to fhow that the goat of Thibet, known by the name of Touz, that carries the ftil finer fleece, which is valued at three times the price of the famous Perfian wool, might be here reared with profit, as the country that it inhabits is undoubtedly much colder in winter than any part of Britain..Neither is there any certainty that the goat of Gol- conda, which yields the Bezoar as well as a very fine wool, might not admit of being kept with profit in Britain, as it has. never 4 yet, ON AGRICULTURE, 273 yet, that I have heard of, been fairly tried. ‘But there can be no doubt. but that the Chamois goat of the Alps would thrive well on the high mountains of Wales and Scotland, where hardly any other dnimal at prefent feeds: And the-Bougquetin of the fame country, which delights to live chiefly among the ice upon the tops of the higheft Alps, and is in many refpects an ufeful ani- mal, would confume thofe plants that grow where none of our own animals at prefent dare venture.: The theep of Perfia and Spain are known to produce wool of a much finer quality than that which is yielded by fhéep in any other part of the globe; which we have hitherto been inclined rather to attribute to the influence of their particular climate and pafture, than to any effential difference in the original breed of that animal reared in thefe countries: And therefore we have been difpofed to look upon every attempt that may have been made to introduce that breed of fheep into our own country, as wild and chimerical; fo as to’ fit down contented with our own fituation, and allow the in- habitants of thefe countries to enjoy the Ver. II. r benefits SS OEEOOO—E—E—EEE—— Eee: 274 DISQUISITIONS benefits of their good fortune without mo- leftation.—Yet. the Author hereof flatters himfelf with the hope, that if the Reader has attended to feveral obfervations that have occurred, in different parts. of— this Effay,. he will be led to think, that there does not appear any reafon-againft it, fo {trong as to debar us from all hopes of fee- ing fuch an attempt, if wifely conducted, attended with fucceis. The Lama, Guanacoe, and Paco, of America, are varieties of a clafs of animals of the-camel-tribe, which fubfift upon little food,..and. probably delight to eat fuch plants as are either ufelefs, or noxious to all our domeftic animals. Some of thefe have fo much bodily ftrength as to be employed, by the natives of. Peru as beafts of burden; and they all afford a kind of wool of a peculiar quality, that might be employed with. fuccefs in many of our manufactures; and-help-to give them fuch peculiarities: as might, entitle them to a preference: to thofe.of. other. nations. in foreion markets,‘were. we.fo. wife: as to oO adop of. a tropical regiony, it has: been already fhown st. them.-And although they be. natives- ————SS =+ oot— 2 anata ate ——e: a TS LES eS TO cot ON See LET Re, 378 fhown that there is reafon to sie they might be able to endure the cold of our cli- mate, without a apprehenfion of their being hurt by it; feeing they confiantly chocfle to frequent the{nowy mountains hat abound in their native See* Neither are we as vet st fufficiently re quainted with the nature and diftinguifh- ing qualities of the U rus, Bifon, and Buf. Ailise 5 cbiceies of the cattle(Bos) tribe. in Italy, and other warm countries, the Buflaloe; is employed as a beaft of burden, and is fuppofed t6 be equal in{trength: to three or four horfes.© The Ey yieldta cone fiderable quantity of milk, of which good cheefes are made; and although their Aleth is not fo much valued as our beef, yet the hide is deemed, in many reipedcts, preferable to thatof our ordi nary cattle. In Hindoftan, and other parts of the Haft-Indies, they have another variety of thefe, that are ftill “ Some attempts have been made to introduce thefe animals into Spain, but without fuccefs Buffon juftly obferyes, that thefe trials have probably proved abortive, by the animals having been confined to the w arm plains of Andalufia—-a climate by far too hot for them to live in. Pyobably, they would have thriyen upon the Alps, alloy wed there to range at large. ‘EF-2 more 276 DISQUISITIONS more tractable than either the Buffaloe in Italy, or the ox in other parts of Europe, which are therefore employed as almoit the only beaft of burden in all thefe countries. _The Bifon is reckoned{till more docile: and tractable than thefe, and is employed in fome countries for the purpofes of war; and, what is more furprifing flill, asa guard and attendant of their flocks, in the fame manner asourdogs. The Urus is a native of temperate climates, and, although of an enormous fize, is gentle, and eafily tamed; but, it is utterly unknown in Britain*. In Louifiana, there is a variety of this clafs of animals that is covered with a very fine and clofe fur, that more refembles wool than hair, which is employed by the natives for the fame ufesas wool. Thefe animals are there wild, but might eafily be tamed. But whether that fleece would admit of being annually thorn like that of fheep, or what would be its particular value in manufac- * Some horns that feem to have belonged te the Urus, have been lately found in Scotland, which feems to prove that it had been once a native of this ifland, Thefe horns may be now feen in the Mufsum of the Scottith Antiquaries, in Edinburgh. 4 tures, ON SEGRICULTURE. 297 tures,—or, whether the animal would be poffeffed of any other valuable qualities, we are as yet a lofs to know. Its fleth is efteemed by thofe who have eaten of it;—. and its fkin, dreffed with the wool, forms fuch a warm and ufeful covering for the Indians and Canadians, that they have hitherto kept them entirely for their own ufe; none of them, that I have heard of,’ having been hitherto exported. In North America, they have likewife a fpecies of deer, called by the’ natives Orignial or Aurignial, which feems to be poffefled of fome qualities that might per- haps, by the induftry of man, be employed for his advantage. It confiderably exceeds in height the talleft horfe;—hath legs very Jong in proportion to its body;—runs with great fwiftnefs; and, like all that clafs of animals, is endowed with very great mufcu-- Jar ftrength, and may be. eafily tamed, fo as to become as gentle as a lamb. This ac- count I had from a gentleman, who had frequently feen one of them in the poflef- fion of Gen; Carleton, when Governor of 3 Canada, that was tethered every day upon its pafture like a cow, and was equally : fee: tame. 278 DISQUISLTIONS tame:—This is probably the fame animal that has been diftinguifhed-in Englith, by the name of Moofe-deer, of the exiftence of which, fo many have doubted.—In. its wild ftate, it lives, in winter, chiefly upon :‘ mofs and branches of trees, in this refpect, refembling the Rhen-deer of Lapland. But, whether it could be brought at that. time to feed upon any of the kinds of mofs that fo often cover our paftures,—or, whether the Rhen-deer is really incapable of being| kept in any climate more temperate than Lapland, which has been often- ' a|&‘2| ay ed with a great degree of confidence*;| |” 20k, 4 ae* However pofitively this may have been frequently aflerted, there feems to be much room to doubt if the Seti eno fa& be really fo, as there is found in all the provinces 5) P of North America, even'as far fouth as the Back Set- tlements of Virginia, an animal of the deer-kind,. called 3 by the natives Caribou, whieh is acknowledged to be in-all refpects, the fame with the Lapland Rhen-deer. And what reafon have we to imagine, that an animal which can bear the intenfe fummer-heats of Lapland, would not live in a more temperate climate, where thofe kinds of mofs on which it chief delights to feed, can be found? d ‘@) Of all the animals that roam through the woods of “< North America, none are more. wild than the Garibox: nor sel ry nimal land pial, where y feed, ON AGRICULTURE. 279 -——or, whether any other variety-of‘this clafs of animals, or any other creature that could be ufeful to man, could be: fed on any of thofe forts of mofs that fo much abound in all our old paftures, and-are entirely ufelefs for every economical pur- jot at all afcer- pofe that we know of- tained, although it is a fubjeét highly de- ferving the attention of the Public. Many other cits have been flightly mentioned by hiftorians as poffeffing par- ticular valuable qualities, but with fo little ccuracy, as not to admit of our-relying on their accounts as certain.—Of this clafS is the. Anta of: Peru,‘an animal of the nor have the natives ever once thought that it would be poffible to tame it, or render it ferviceable to man asa domeftic animal, although the experience of the poor Laplanders fufficiently{hows, that-it. may be rendered tame and gentle, and furnifh alone almoft all the necef- {aries of life, to. a frugal and abftemious people... From which example, we ought to be taught never to defpair of being able to domefticate almoft any graminivorous animal, however wild, if it can be of any eflential fervice to ourfelves, N.B. Since the former Editions of this Wor! k, the Rhen-deer has actually been imported i into Britain, and and has been found to live, and propogate, in Yor! ee as wellas in Lapland. Note to the feurth Editi Us Fas CE 1 4 Ee 74e Bufialo aOR a‘ ge ae 280 DISQUISITIONS Buffaloe-tribe, but of an uncommon kind, particularly efteemed there for the fe- markable ftrength and thicknefs of its {kin. The Zapariffou, an animal of Brazil, faid, in fome refpedts, to refemble an ox and an afs,—remarkable likewife for the extraordinary ftrength of its fkin. Others affert, that in Brazil they rear a kind of animal, refembling a theep, as large as a horfe, with long horns, and a fhort tail é&c.&c.—But whether fuch animals as thefe do really exift or not, is very uncer- tain; and if they do, it is as doubtful if they could be of any ufe to us. But furely fuch objects deferve the attention of phi- lofophical enguirers. The exiftence of the animal called Ni#/-G4au, fo lately feen in Britain, and well defcribed by Br. Hun- ter, was deemed at leaft as great an un- certainty as any of thefe*, Os eG * Several attempts have been made in Britain, to ob. tain collections of plants from all parts of the world. Tt is to be regretted that no publig inftitution-has ever been made for collegting and preferving ufeful animals from different parts of the globe.--Here opens a fine field for conferring immortal honour on the man who Airrft fhall begin fo great and-ufeful a work. N.B. ON AGRICULTURE. 28; AXAXXIX, We in Great Britain are as yet fo little acquainted with the nature of the mule, and, at the fame time, have fo many im- perfect accounts of the amazing{trength and hardinefs of that fingular animal, as makes it ntuch to be defired that an au- thentic account of it could be procured for the benefit of the farmer, fo that he might know how far it might be prudent in him to make ufe of this in preference to every other beaft of burden? N.B. Since the former editions of this Work were publifhed, the author prefented a memorial to Sir John Sinclair, pointing out the great benefits that might be derived from eftablifhing a fociety for the improyement of Britifh wool, earneftly recommending it as. att, object worthy of his attention. He adopted the idea, and under: his patronage has been fince inftituted the Society for the Improvement of Britith Wool; which, although it has not been produCtive of al/ the*good that might have been derived from it, has ftill been of fome benefit to the coun- try, by giving room for afceriaining a few. facts, which might long have remained doubtful. See farther on this fubject, the following Effay in the prefent Volume; alfo, an Account of the Ruffian Sheep,&c. by Dr. Pallas, publifhed by Chapman, Fleet-ftreet, London, This Se ‘This animal is. faid to be poffeffed of much‘greater{tregth, in proportion to Its fize, than either the horte oz. the als; ——is longer-lived than either of them, and an.be fupported. on much poorer fare; BF ae ee! by t{nt af had try 3 e iG OUrt NO=iOrt Ol Dad tt‘Catment—_ patient antes hardthips, with a long ef~ cetera of qualities, that thofe who are un- acquainted with it, have difficulty to bring themfelves to admit-of,- and yet know not how to reject the evidence with which they are tonanicd! being fometimes fa very{trong.' Tf all chia extraotr ag advantages refult from this kind of unnatural ae ing the‘breeds of animals, one would imague, that thofe who have experi- enced it 1n tl js ee would have en- deavoured to try what would have oO os o —~ f=) unimals that nearly re{emble OnE — ; to othe another;—fuch as the cow. with the urus, bifon;‘or buffaloe—the deer with the cow oF goat,&c.&c.—But I have. met with no account of any uncommon{pecies of Anta ro imal .= eS ON AGRICULTURE,| 233 animal of the mule kind, excepting one, that carries in its face fo much the ap- pearance of a fable, that I fhall give the account of it in the very words of the author. who relates it, Jean St. Leger, in his account of-Switzerland:—* Among* ‘the domeftic animals,’-fays he,‘there is ‘only the Fumarre, that is altogether un- ‘known inthe northern countries.. This f animal: is. procreated.. either: between a ‘ bull and a mare. or between a bull and 9 AE rot The firft are the largeft, and are called Jaf; the latter are fmaller, and are called d7/:— ‘ a fhe-afs. a a ~_~ os_=n=- ¢——They have the head and the tail ¢ of an ox, witha{mail excrefcence in plac _@ ‘of the horns; the reft of the*body re < Fc fembles that of the horfe or afs.. Their ry é{trength i is inconceivable in proportion to es their fize. They are{maller than mules," a eat little, and are furprifingly‘expedi- “ tious on a journey ks os Nie le chemin We I ‘ have travelled eighteen leagues, altoge- Ww * Entre les domeftiques, il n’y a que les jumarres,&c. Hifi. Génér. des Eglifes}‘audoi| eS, par Fean St. Leger, pafteur. F, p. 8. 284 DISQUISITIONS ‘ ther on a mountainousyoad, on the 36th ‘of September, on a jumarre, but with a “good deal more eafe than I could have ¢ done it on horfe-back.’ To deny a fact fo pofitively afferted by a man of character, unlefs we had dire@ proofs of the contrary, would be rather bold. At the fame time, I myft acknow- ledge, that the difference of the mode of copulating is fo great between cattle and horfes or affes, that it is hardly poffible to avoid reading this account with fome degree of f{cepticifm. Mention is made,of this fame jumarre, which is called Simarroa in Italy, by other authors, But as-many of our nobility and gentry have occafion to pafs through Switzerland in their way to Italy, it would be eafy for them, if they chofe it, to get fatisfaction as to this fact, upon the- {pot*. _N.B. Since the third edition of thisWork, the following remarks relative to this * Since the former edition of thisWork, I have been aflured by one who was in Switzerland for fome months, that the yumarre is flill there employed as a beaft of burthen, fo that there can be no-reafon to doubt the fat. Note to the Third Edition. fubje& wed- ar Ye” hae) ON AGRICULTURE. 28; fubjeé& has fallen in my way; it is extracted from Mr. Baird’s Account of Middlefex, drawn up for the confideration of the Board of Agriculture, when{peaking of the improvements that had been made by the late ingenious Mr. John Hunter, at Earl’s court, in the parith of Kenfington, he fays, page 42: << This gentleman has, at prefent, a very beautiful little cow from a buffalce and an Alderney cow. This animal is, in fome meafure, kept for her beauty; and, what adds to it, /he is always plump and fat, whe- ther in fummer or winter, and-upon much lefs food than would be fufficient to fupport a beaft of the fame fize, of the ordinary breed. I do not find that fhe exceeds in guantity of milk, but the gua/ity is very good, and it is certain, fhe can be fattened at a much lefs ex- pence than an ordinary cow of the fame fize.” This is avery curious fact, that deferves to be particularly adverted to; fhould it prove to be a general rule, and not a patticular exception, it would lead to very important confequences. XL. aded 286 DISQUISITIONS XL+. Some plants grow only on a hard firm foil, and others thrive only in an open {pungy mould.—Required, a lift of each of thefe two oppofite claffes of plants, as alfo a{pecification of fuch plants as approach to either of thefe extremes? S S S It has been often difputed by pratical farmers, whether rolling ground was an ad- vantageous practice, or the reverfe>—Pro- bably, this may, in fome cafes, depend on the nature of the foil—and in others it may be influenced by the peculiar economy of the plants that grow upon it. The broad-leaved plantain* requires 2 foil of fuch an unufual degree of compact- nefs, as feems hardly to. be ever met with naturally;~-on which account, this plant is'{carcely ever{een but upon road-fides, or other places where- the ground~has-been + This article, and the two following, ought to have: been inferted after VIII, p. 49, but they were acciden-«¢ tally omitted in that place. .*-Plantaga major. artificially =: an:= eae f ON AGRICULTURE. 487 hb artificially comprefied by fome weighty body pafling© freq 1ently: alone. its furface*: ~ hence it has obtained the vulgar name of the way-faring(corruptly wavering): leaf. If this were an ufeful plant, it could not be propagated without the help. of frequent rolling. The common knot-grafs+ hee es the fame quality, in fome meafure, alth ugh not in fuch an eminent degree as the former, as it is moft frequent tly found in places that have been much trod upon, and afterwards allowed to be undifturbed for fome time;4 a sut 1¢is alfo fometimes’ met with-in other paces. The, fame may be{aide of the annual meadow-grafs{, which is the laft plant * Ihave been affured by a refpectable perfon, that this plant is often met with in the common fields in fome parts of the county of Durham. If fo, the foil muft be very uncommon, and deferves to be accurately a ° paket I never found it in the common: fields im any place-where I have been,‘ Since writing the above, I have feen in fome e fields the Plantago: media, which‘ I fuppofe has: been miftaken by the gentleman above-mentioned for the nine major. yarn yr ae 4? pe 2 ba b Palycenumn GVIi¢ Upear ee 4.004 GQunUG. (A) tt ~~ $d fp ct 288 DISQUISITIONS that difappears on the road-fides, except the two above named; but it is alfo found in fituations where the ground is not nearly fo much comprefied. Many other plants that grow naturally upon fuch foils as have an unufual degree of firm compattnefs, can only be made to grow on more fpungy fields by frequent rolling or preffure of fome fort, which. gives them artificially that firmnefs of tex- ture they had not naturally. Perennial red clover* is a plant of this fort. It profpers abundantly in firm, and what might almoft be called, obdurate clay~ ey foils; but, in others of a loofer texture, it is to be found only in the foot-paths that may accidentally be made through the fields. I have feen a foot-path of this fort ftored with this plant for many thou- fand yards in length, while not a fingle ftalk of it could be found im the fields on either fide. The common white, or Dutch clover+, delights alfo in a firm foil, although it does not require fuch a degree of compactnefs * Trifolium pratenfe. ¢ Trifolium repens. af a Pir, ON AGRICULTURE. 289 as the former, and therefore profpers n many fields without any artificial pref- fure; but, on very fpungy foils, Art mutt fupply the deficiency of Nature, or it will not thrive.—Hence it happens, that, on of this fort, white clover is frequent- ly feen tQ flourifh exceedingly on fuch foot-paths as are moderately trod upon, while it only laguifhes, or hardly appears in other parts of the field. On the contrary, the fmall-leaved for- rel* requires a foilof an exceedingly open and{pungy texture, upon which alone it can be made to grow,—and is totally de- froyed by any kind of weighty continued prefiure upon it; of which} had once an opportunity of being fully fatisfied, by am experiment that deferves to be.recorded. I had occafion to lay down a{mall{pot. of ground of.this open fpungy fort, into ufs, by way of /awn. It was fowed with white clover feeds.;—but in fome of the fpungieft, or, as the practical farmer would call it, degfefe. places, this{mall- d forrel came up in fuch abundance * Rumex acetofella. Vor. Il. U e 2 Zoo“DISQ@UFSTTIONS as to choak the clover, fo that hardly a fingle plant of it could be feen. Vexed at this difappointment, I was extremely anxious to get this ufelefs and unfightly plant eradicated:—But being at that time little acquainted with the nature of it myfelf, having come from 2 part of the country where it was hardly known,—I enquired of thofe who had been accuftomed with it from their in- fancy, how it might beft be deftroyed— but in vain. A very little attention, however, made ne foon obferve,-that this plant was ne- ver found but on foils that were exceed- ingly.fpungy and open; and therefore it feemed probable, that if thefe foils were rendered firm by preffure, it might be thus deftroyed. And as rolling feemed to be the eaficft method of effecting this, Irefolved to try if it could be killed by this means. With this view,-a weighty ftone-rofler was brought to that part of the green where the forrel abounded moft, which was drawn along it for twenty or thirty yards, and pufhed back again to its for- mec ON AGRICULTURE. 2ot a mer place regularly: every morning,— Keeping always exactly in the fame tract. Wag In a few weeks the forrel there totally and difappeared; and the little alley formed ing by the roller in its courfe became cover- he ed with a clofe pile of white clover; al- 4 though the ground on each fide of it ftill dly abounded with the forrel, and hardly a had ftalk of clover appeared among it. in- Old pafture-fields, in our northern cli- te mate, are frequently over-run with fog, confifting of various kinds of moftes, Ve which profper abundantly during the ae winter-feafon. I never yet obferved any ol fog in the foot-paths through the fields ae that were moft infefted with it; which a would feem to point out, that frequent t preflure might be an effectual mean of eradicating it.‘Every circumftance that Felt I have yet obferved relating to the growth ) try of this{pecies of plants,{eems to indicate that they profper beft on a fpungy open ; foil. Moifture and cold feem alfo to be a favourable to-them. They feem to Bt grow even in winter more luxuriantly thaa bi in fummer.| hit U 72& Spurrey for- é met 292 DISQUISITIONS Spurrey*—or, as it is fometimes called, Yarr,—is only found in the fame fort of fpungy foils.—It is an annual plant, that is exceedingly pernicious to the crops of corn in thofe countries where this kind of ground abounds. In firmer foils, the char- lock+, and wild muftardt, become the {courge of flovenly farmers in its ftead. When this fpungy deaf foil is in a differ- ent ftate of cultivation, it naturally produces the common dead(vulgo dea) nettle}. This efpecially abounds where a foil of this fort is trenched up, and the mould that has een long buried deep is expofed to the EMS The cock-tail, or feather-grafs J, alfo requires an open and fpungy mould, and cannot be made to thrive in any other.— Hence it happens, that in countries where this foil abounds, all the manured fields be- come naturally covered with this kind of grafs, when they are left to themfelves: For, as the feeds are light, they are carried * Spergula._ ¢ Rhaphanus raphanifirum t Stnapis arvenfis,| Lamium. gq Holeus lanatus. by a nd i ee re ete ON AGRICULTURE 253 i) ‘a by the wind toa great diftance, fo that there at is never want of feeds in abundance to ftock Me all the fields; and where this grafs, prof- of pers, it roots out all other forts. - Rye-grafs* will indeed make a{trugele ¢ with it. And when the ground is pro- ? perly cleaned; and a little confolidated by a [- good mode of culture,—if rye-grafs feeds ce_ are then fowed in abundance, it will ufually .) get the better of the former. “ This fpecies of grafs(rye-grafs) which is bg now fo univerfally cultivated in moft parts ie of Scotland, requires a deep, open, loofe, deafith foil, tending to dampnefs, to bring- 6 it to full perfeCtion. Wherever the fea- j; ther-grafs naturally abounds,{kilful culture with lime will make the rye-grafs flourith. exceedingly. Nor do thofe who have not fs feen a foil of the nature here treated of, ¢ know to what an amazing degree of lux- of,::; uriance this plant may be reared. I know a: well that people who live in countries en- ed joying a much better foil in general than that which has been familiar to me for Ylle e 3 3 mn fome time pait, would be little difpofed to * Lolium perenne. ee| U3 give = *4 204 DISQUTST TIONS give credit, fhould I affure them that, on a foil of this fort,(I have meafured feveral flalks of rye-grafs above fix feet in length. —Yet this is a truth that could be attefted by feveral refpeGtable perfons who faw and meafured thefe ftalks, thould it be thought worth enquiring into*. I forbear to mention the weight of hay I have cut from anacre of this fort of ground at one cutting, as I am fenfible it would appear incredible. Yet, on this foil, no culture that I have ever feen tried, can produce an abundant crop.of red clover; which requires a weigh- tier, firmer, or fharper foil. eThe cock-tail, or feather-grafs, as has been faid, only appears in fields that have been manured.—In other fields, confifttin g of the fame kind of foil, the{mall bent-grafs-++ as naturally and univerfally eftablithes itfelf, mel eis neceflary to remark, that no kind of culture could bring rye-grafs to this amazing leneth, unlefs the feafon was remarkably dry; for when the{oil is rich, and the feafon damp, fuch a luxuriant crop would be rotted long before it could have attained any thing like maturity. t Agroftis cagglaris.: The —=‘.—— essa lle ici —:= SS f Via Lal. 18. everal/ ‘Neth, tefted "and ight hay] ound ould have ndant eigh- - hag have 1 Of als} tfelf. culture nlefs the is rich, AN Dm ould be ae SS hl i Ds lauul-or: Vealher Wa, J Le“2 ing Ike The .j % } | ' cae| a' ia :| ; 1| ‘ mY y t B| im i j| \ iq a tomony ONG RIG G PUR Rage The fubject treated of in this Difquifi- tion has been fo little attended to, and fo few praGical farmers have had an oppor- tunity of being intimately acquainted with foils differing fo much from one another as thofe that have furnithed matter for thefe obfervations, that I am afraid I fhall hardly here be perfectly underftood. It is, how- ever, extremely important, and deferves to be farther elucidated. Allow me here to draw one ufeful corel- lary that naturally arifes from the confider- ation of this fubje@, which I would beg to recommend to the attention of young and \fanguine improvers in agriculture, as. it might tend to infpire a little of that ra- tional diffidence, the want of which has proved the ruin of thoufands who have fet out in that career. If large and extenfive diftricts are to be found,—in which the foil, through almoft every ,part of the one, differs very much from that in the other as to the above- meptioned particulars, although they may perhaps agree very much in their genera! appearance, and the proportion of fand and clay, and the other diftinguifhing particu- U 4 lars 296 DISQUISITIONS? Jars of foils ufually taken notice of by writ- ers on agriculture, or others, it mutt follow, that the man who js the beft acquaiuted with the beft mode of culture for the one of thefe countries, may be altogether unac- quainted with the beft method of treating a field, that he might think was very much of the fame nature with his own in an- other diftrid. Hence it follows, that the travelling far- mer ought to be cautious how he con- demns fome particular practices he may obferve, that may to him appear extreme- ly unreafonable,—as_ circumftances may fometimes render one practice very pro- per, which, upon a foil of another fort, would be attended with the mot banefal confequences.: Hence, likewife, it follows, that the young improver ought to be extremely cautious how he adopts the advice of fuch farmers as may have been bred on a diftri@ at a great diftance from his own, as he may Tuin himfelf by purfuing a practice in the one cafe, that might. be highly advantage- ous inthe other. The hints of the fenfible menin his neighbourhood ought to liften- ed = eo te oo a ON AGRICULTURE. 207 ed to with attention; but an obferving eye, and an unremitting attention to fuch facts as may occur to one’s felf, are the only fure ‘guides.‘Till experience has accumulated wifdom, fafety confifts in cautious citcum- {pection alone. If I fpeak here with a more than ordina- ry degree of folicitude, it arifes entirely from a full conviction of the mifchievous confe- quences that often refult from an oppofite conduct, and a warm defire to avert from others fuch calamities as I have, in many in- ftances, feen arife from it. My own exten- five experience in two very diftant and diffi- milar parts of the country*, enables me to {peak with the greatercertainty on thishead. As few who have always remained in one corner of the country, can have had-an opportunity of perceiving the influence of particulars of this fort in their full force, I fhall beg leave to mention an anecdote re- lating to it that occurred to myfelf: Some years after I had been in Aber- deenfhire, two very fenfible farmers, from * The writer was born near Edinburgh, in Mid- Lothian, and practifed Agriculture there for feveral years pefore he removed to Aberdeenfhire the 298 DISQUISITION s the Lothians, came to vifit me in one fea-~ fon, feparately.—It happened, that I was fallowing a field that year, of a foil of an exceedingly bad quality, which, in its external appearance, greatly refembled fome of the beft fields that thefe gentle- men had been accuftomed to fee; and both of them, feparately, after walking over my farm, and examining the diffe- rent fields with attention, pitched upon this as the very beft field in my farm, al- though it was, in fact, by far the worft they had feen. Qne of thefe gentlemen had practifed farming in his native place, with the greateft fuccefs, for upwards of fifty " years; anid the other, for more than forty. —They were both men much efteemed for their knowledge and difcretion; nor was there one in the county: where they lived, that could have formed a jutter judgment of the value of any foil there, than they could have done. A decifion nearly fimilar to this, was given afterwards, by a yery ingenious and fuccefsful farmer in Northumberland, The truth is, neither of them had ever feen ON AGRICULTURE, 299 feen a foil of the nature of that in quef- tion; and it was no impeachment on their judgment, if they were unacquainted with its real qualities, and therefore reafoned from analogy, that it would approach neareft to the nature of thofe foils that it moft nearly refembled. aL. Some plants can. be reared only upon foils that have been manured with one kind of manure, and the growth of others is chiefly promoted by other manures.— Wanted—A. lift of fuch plants as have their growth chiefly promoted by any one fort of manure, in preference to another. S S$§ Experience fhows, that the common pea, whether white or grey, cannot be reared to perfection, in any field which. has not been either naturally or artificial- ly impregnated with fome calcareous* mat- * Calcareous is a general term, including all thofe fubftances that might be converted into lime, if unmixed with any other extraneous matter. Len foo DIS@UTSIT ELON S ter—Hence it happens, that peas are rarely cultivated univerfally as a field- crop, unlefs in thofe parts of the country where either lime, or marle, or chalk, abound, or upon ftrong clays. But on the fea-coaft, where fhell-fith are soe catch- fields are manured with the fhells ae thefe mixed ed in abundance, and where t with dung, we, méet with a few excep- tions to this general rule. It is pretty remarkable, hat a- foil ti which could/hardly have brought one pea to perfection, although richly manured with dung+,—if it-fhall have been once limed, fhall be capable of producing abun- dant crops of peas ever afterwards, if duly prepared in other refpeéts, Turnip, on the other hand, will grow in any foil, if it is manured with dung; —but lime does not promote its growth in fuch a high degree.—Hence turnips are the firft improving crop in a country def- titute of lime, and peas in the other. In countries where c as foot is ufed as a manure in large quantiti es, the opinion + In thefe cafes the pea feems to haulm, and ufually dies away after bloffoming, without ripening the grain. Greve a Seo eS eee ON AGRICULTURE. 30% ate prevails, that this manure deftroys clover, lq. while it greatly enc ourages the jee of try rye-grafs. But I have a an opportu lk, nity of remarking, that this opinion is er- ae the roneous, altho ough it is eafy to account for he the way in which it has come to be fo me univerfally Ln a zed For foot, although it does not deftroy ep. clover, does not, in any fenfible degree, promote the growth of that plant, when ie applied to the ground in any proportions. ke I have ufed foot as a toy dreffing for clo- ff ver and ry ues in all proportions, from a one hundred| bufhels per acre, to fix hun- A died$i: and i cannot fay that ever I de could perceive the clover upon thefe fields' i in the leaft degree more luxuriant than in the places ee no foot had been ap- ¥ plied. 5 But the effeéts of this manure upon the zs aghevte Bs Yrs Ca ies inten a aa growth of rye-grais 1s.amazing, and in- creafes in proapete nto the quantity, as Y93 ae d a3 rye-crafs fo far ale the clover, that i100 it-is not feen, and the whole crop /eems * The bufhel is not a common meafure an Scotland: It is nearly the fame with th C pea Or mee il irlOte 5 to = eS Ee 3joz DISQUISITIONS to be rye-grafs, although, in faét, there is as much clover as if it had not been ma- nured at all. This is a very fatisfatory proof of the influence of one manure in promoting the growth of a particular plant, in preference to that of another. There are, no doubt, many others that the farmer is at prefent ignorant of.—TI fhall fuggeft a few. It conftantly happens, that where a heap of foot has lain fo long upon the ground as to deftroy all the plants upon its furface, the firft plant that appears afterwards is the common couch-grafs*. It as univerially happens, that the firft plant that appears where a heap of com- mon ftable-dung has lain, is the common knot-grais-. Sain-foin thrives upon the thinneft lime- fione-gravelly, or chalky foils, with great luxuriance, even where thefe are fo poor as to afford a very fcanty crop of other forts of grafs. On much richer foils, that are not fo highly impregnated with calcareous mat- ter, that plant only languifhes—on many * Triticum repens.+. Polygonum aviculare. occafions, 3 a——— ON AGRICULTURE. 03 eccafions, it dies entirely. Hence fain-foin is a moft valuable crop in chalky countries, —in others, it is juftly thought of no value. 1S) Lime feems to promote the growth of rye-graf{s, in a higher degree than it does the growth of feather-grafs.—For, in fields that naturally abound with this laft, and in which it even gets the better of rye-grafs when it is fowed, if the ground be limed, the rye-grafs flourithes’ and deftroys the other; and when that fails, it is fucceeded by white clover, and the poa-graffes, rather than by the feather-grafs. Lame, or other calcareous matter, in the foil, feems alfo to be neceflary for the pro~ duction of wheat as of peas.—lI once dreffed| a field for wheat, which had been limed for the firft time fome years. before that but it happened, that one of the ridges had been accidentally miffed in the liming. It was a good crop in all other parts of the field; but not one ftalk came the length of producing an ear of wheat, on that ridge which had not been limed.’ This was only a particular cafe; whether it would — ee soa«© DISQUISITIONS would happen univerfally fo or not, i cannot fay. Calcareous matters feem likewife to be peculiarly favourable for the production of barley, more fo if in very large quantities than oats. I know a field that has been often manured with the fhells of mufcles, &c. from.a fifhing town, which has carried good crops of bear*, almoft without inter- miflion, for time immemorial. Some- times, a part of it has been fown with cats, but the crop extremely poor. In the links at Sandfide, mentioned’in Volt: Effay on Quick- Lime, Aph. III. § 41, which contains a very large propor- tion of calcareous matter, it has been found, by experience, that bear is the moft. pro- fitable crop, and therefore no other crop is ever. fown upon it.—Quere, Is this the cafe with chalky foils? On the contrary, oats, in general, feem to fucceed better than any other kind of grain, on foils that have not been impreg- * Tam not fo certain if barley would fucceed upon {uch foils, but I believe it would. Barley is diftinguifh- ed by having two rows of grain in the ear; dear has four or fix rows, like wheat. nated ON AGRICULTURE. jos nated with calcareous matter; for which reafon, it would feem that dear, the only other culmiferous grain commonly cultivated on fuch toils, is in general an unprofitable: crop in countries where calcareous manures. have not been ufed. XLII. There is reafon to fufpect, that certain manures, which operate very powerfully upon fome foils, do not promote the fer- tility of other foils in the fmallett degree. It would furely be of great ufe to the practical farmer, to be made acquainted with thefe peculiarities. a 8S. Ss In that part of the country where I was born, and. firft pradtifed agriculture, no manure whatever produced fuch a powerful and lafting effect, as horn-fhav- igs.—Compared with the beft yard(mid- ding) dung, in the‘proportion of one {tone of fhavings toa cart-load* of dung, ; the * Nothing is fo indefinite, as a cart or waggon-load ef things of this fort, that are not commonly weighed Vou. I, x 306 PISO ISTEEPONS the effeét of the firft was, at the beginning, about equal; but, after the firft crop, the horn-fhayings were greatly f{uperior. In Aberdeenfhire, I have found the ef- fect extremely different.—A field of a geod loamy foil, little different in appear- ance from thofe on which I had formerly laid this manure with fuccefs, was fal- lowed, and got a thorough drefling of horn-fhavings.—It has‘ fince that time carried matiy crops of corn and grafs; but I have not been able to perceive a fenfible effet of the manure on any of thefe crops. There has hardly been even a fingle tuft of grain more bufhy and ‘ftrong in one part of the field than an- other;—a circumftance that could hardly be avoided in ufing this manure, from the impoffibility of{preading it fo equally as is neceflary. Common falt is another manure, that L have tried almoft with the fame fuccefs. It is well known, from numberlefs well- or meafured; therefore, it were to be wifhed, that wri- ters on agriculture would endeavour to to define them accurately.—The cart-load here meant, may be a quan- tity between thirty and thirty-fix bufhels. authenticated > ON AGRICULTURE. 307 ny authenticated experiments, that the moft the ordinary effect of this manure, is to pro- mote the fertility of the foil in a very ed fenfible degree for a fhort time, when ufed of a in Bache quantities, and to check the ear vegetation of every kind of plant for a erly certain period, if employed in an over’ fal proportion*. ig of To try-the effect of it’upon my own time particular foil, I fixed a pin in the middle tals; of plot of grafs, in the month of May,— we a. and round that, as'a centre, defcribed a ny of' circle of two yards diameter. Aroua | even the inner circumference of that eircular y and Ine, I ftrewed fome common{alt very 1 all- thin, making it gradually thicker and? ardly thicker as it came towards the centre, till, from at the pin itfelf, the falt lay near an inch é wally thick upon the gr a{s.& The whole was foon,diffolved by the. ., that: dews and rains, which were not copious accel at that feafon. I looked with impatience. ial: to obferve the’ effect of the experiment, sal* I have reafon to be now convinced, that this is Se the rather a vulgar error, and that on falt is ineflicaci= ous as amanure, in moft cafes, though in a few inftances, a perhaps, it may have been found to be otherwife. satel x2 bus 2 cies eS ee ee 308 DISQUISITIONS but with aftonifhment obferved, that the fpot could not have been diftinguithed from the reft of the green, except by the pin, which was allowed to remain in its place three years. I leave philofophers to account for thefe uncommon phcenomena.—Let the far- mer, in the mean time, be taught from them to proceed with cautious diffidence, in the application of new and untried manures. For, it is not enough that he fhould be certain they have been attend- ed with the moft beneficial effects, when tried by another:—Before he can be affur- ed of fuccefs, he himfelf ought to try their effets by a jar experiment on a {mall{cale e, and be determined in his prac- tice at /arge by the refult of that experi- ment, if it has been clear and decifive. One‘other practical inference may be drawn from the above-mentioned facts, which might be of fervice, 1f duly attend- ed to. Nothing is more. common than to fee writers on agriculture, who have lived in bad different parts of the country, accufing One ON AGRICULTURE. 309 the hed one another of falfehood and mifrepre- the fentation; becaufe perhaps the one has 1 its 7 recorded an experiment, with its refult,— which has been tried by the other, with ie all imaginable fairnefs, who-has found the aa refult to be extremely’ different.—He re- ee peats the experiment with all'the necef- os{ary precautions, but ftill the refult is the ai| fame;—from whence he infers, that the ae firft has told a falfehood, to fupport fome ao favourite theory. ae bo Perhaps, I myfelf might have been ac- Ture cufed of this in the prefent cafe, had not oH my own experience furnithed both the re- |_ differing fo much from one another. a But if foils differ fo much from one an- a other, in fome of their moft effential ee qualities, while they are not fenfibly dif- an ferent in their external appearance, ought ay be we not to conclude, that the circum- fats, ftances which may affe@ the farmer are trend: often fo much concealed, as to authorife no one to di¢tate pofitively for another in to fee all cafes.—Let us then proceed with ar- ved in dour in our refearches, but with unceafing culing caution and diffidence, whenever we ex- one pF ceed =». ame~ wee &“s. ae 310 DISQUISITIONS ceed the limits of our own proper expe- rience.—A man-who with confidence preferibes to others what fhould be done in all cafes, is moft certainly unacquainted with the art he profefles, and muft often fail—Nor would this be fo much to be reeretted, did not thofe who are fo fan- guine in the opinion of their knowledge, ufually advife others to proceed upon fuch a large{cale, as mutt be attended with cer- tain ruin to the undertakers, if it does not fully fucceed, Since the former editions of thefe Ef- fays were printed, Gypfum has been re- commended to the notice of the Britith farmer, as a moft efficacious manure; and many experiments that have been made, chiefly in America, have been adduced as fatisfa@tory evidence of this fact. Some experiments have, in confequence of this, been made with it in England alfo, and, in moft of thefe, it has been found to produce little or no effect. In a few cafes, here alfo, it has been found to be very efficacious.——F'rom hence I conclude, that, like the manures above enume- rated, ON\AGRIGUE TURE- 331 rated, it only operates powerfully on cer- tain foils, or particular crops, and that thefe particular foils or crops. have not, as yet, been afcertained. S S S Thus it appears, that in whatever light we view this fubje&, we meet with much uncertainty and doubt. Were we to pro- ceed forward, and confider the nature and diftinguifhing qualities of different foils; the feveral changes that may be produc- ed upon thefe by culture, orother circum-. {tances;—the properties of different ma- nures, and the effects that thefe, in vari- ous circumftances, produce upon the dif- ferent foils;—the mode of Giltiv ating each variety of plants, fo as to bring them to their greateft perfection;—the offeets of thefe upon the foil, and the confequences of all the different alternations of crops, with all the variety of collateral circum-~ {tances that branch out from thefe capital X 4 heads j= sre. OPO eS Fro NS heads s—we would find the fame uncer- tainty prevail throughout the whole, as in the fmall part that has juft now engaged our attention; and might probably meet- with a ftill greater variety of dogmatic affertions and ill-founded opinions, main- tained with a yet greater degree of obfti- nacy, than the few that we have had oc- cafion to reprehend. But it was judged proper here to defift.—If, in the foregoing pages, it fhould be imagined that’ the Writer hath, on fome occafions, affumed a more decifive tone’ than may feem to be confiftent with a work of this nature, he hopes the candid Reader will be more dif- pofed to afcribe it‘to that involuntary ardour which naturally arifes in the mind when it contemplates objects that it deems of great amportance to’ numbers of man- kind, and the confequent eager defire it feels to corre thofe defects that appear to interrupt, in a high degree, the general good of fociety, than to any finifter caufe. His only aim has been to endeavour to attain to the knowledge of ufeful truths, with a view to promote, to the utmoft of his — ary ind ems al- efire ypeat neral ate, ur[0 ruths, ott of his a“a a ———- ON AGRICULTURE. 313 his power, the general happinefs of man- kind:—And as the errors into which he may have fallen, are involuntary, he will think himfelf obliged to thofe who may point them out with candour, fo as to enable him to correét them, if ever thefe fheets fhould come to another im- preflion. Se DISQUISITIONS ON THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS,€&c. os ADVERTISEMENT. THIS Effay was written for the Bath Society, and publifhed in the Exghth Volume of their Memoirs, from whence it ts re- printed, with confiderable Additions. Difquifitions concerning the different Varieties of WooL- BEARING ANIMALS, and’ other Particulars connected with that Subject. Written in the Year 1794. ¥T has been hitherto, in general, believed that the fheep is univerfally a wool- bearing animal, and that there is no other creature upon the globe that carries woo/, in the ftrict and proper fenfe of the word, but fheep alone. But, there is now reafon to doubt, if either of thefe propofitions be ftrictly true. + ri Among other, good effeéts that will re- fult from the refearches of the Society infti- ' tuted for the improvement of Britith wool, we have already become acquainted with _the nature and diftinguifhing peculiarities ofa great diverfity of varieties of theep, and other animals, that were not before known in Europe. It is to that fource we owe an account of the different varieties or breeds of fheep, that have been difcovered in the Ruffian dominions, by the learned I Dr, 318 DISQUISITIONS ON Dr. Pallas, fo well known in the Republic of Letters, by his many ingenious Works in Natural Hiftory, and other branches cf Science; a tranflation of which, into Eng- lith, was lately publifhed in London. By the fame means, we have become now per- feéily well acquainted with the Spanith fheep, and its diftinguifhable‘ peculiarities; as wellaswith a great many other varieties of the fheep from many parts of Afia, differ- ing from each other in a much greater degree than ever we fufpected before, in Europe, was poffible. Tt would take up too much of the time of the Society, were I to enumerate, in detail, the individual varieties that might be fpecified. I fhall here only briefly ftate, that(in as far as I yet know) all of them may be reduced to one or other of the three following@laffes, or the mongrel breeds refulting from an intermixture with each other, viz. CLASS FIRST. W 00L-BEARING SHEEP, properly fo called. Tuis clafs comprehends a great many of the varieties of fheep found in Britain, and a rene WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 319 and throughout the greateft part of Europe Sheep referrible to this clafs, are alfo found in Afiatic Ruflia, in Africa, at the Cape of Good-Hope, and in various parts of India. Among moft of the varieties of this clafs, unlefs where it has been purified by a ¢are- ful felection, continued for many years, there is found intermixed with the wool, in different proportions, a kind of fhort, opa- que, brittle, unelaftic, hair, ufually of a dead white or chalky-colour, which is well known to manufacturers, and is eafily dif- tinguifhable from other hair. It is known by the name of /étchel-hair in fome places. In other places, it is called£emps; and, pro- bably, it has many other local names, with», which I am unacquainted. This kind of hair does not loofen from the fkin, at the fame time with the wool, and may thus be, in fome meafure, feparated fronf it among fome of the purer wool-bearing breeds. I] have reafon to believe, though I am. not abfolutely certain of the fa@, that this kind of hair is peculiar to the fheep of this clafs, and is not to be found in either of the other two clafles, unlefs, where they par- ticipate with this one in a mongrel breed. :| CLASS * £9 y / i\ F* ey ij i “ih G iv 4 NP i f Ry i, a% oD 7). if" y i) 2 } t ;; = APE om| rae K } |v x He BE.) ar it) wae 1 fy Ge, a \ | t aq F 7& 4 | 2 ) 320 DISQUISITIONS ON CLASS SECOND. HAIR-BEARING SHEEP, Whofe pile is long in the ftaple, and of a quality that admits of being employed in many, manufactures, nearly for the fame purpofes as wool. SHEEP referable to this clafs, have been ufually confounded with the former, info- much that they have almoft entirely efcaped the notice of naturalifts and others. The pure breeds of this fort are’ fearcely any Where to be found among manufacturing nations; but they are reared, in preference to the wool-bearin g fort, among the Ruffians, and other northern nations, where the fkins of fheep, with the fleece on, are ufed for clothing, as they are found to be much more durable than thofe which carry wool properly fovcalled. There are, however, a great many varieties among the breeds of fheep in this country, which.are mongrels between this clafs and the former: Here, however, as in moft cafes, where accurate diftin€tions are wanted, although it feems eafy at firft fight to diftinguith wool from hair, by the crifpinefs of the former, in con- fequence y that ures, een nfo- iped The any ring ce to 1ans, kins for uch 00] sal 5 Of orels tere, urate feems from con ence WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 321 fequence of which, it fhrinks in len eth, foas to require to be ftretched out before it can be accurately meafured, which is not the cafe with hair in general, yet this is found to afford a rule too vague for accurate dif- crimination. The following charaterittics, may, I think, be fufficiently accurate to be relied on: iff, Wool, like the body-hair of mott animals, is an annual production,{pringing from the fkin of an animal. It confitts of a great number of diftinct filaments, that grow more or lefs clofe to one another-in different breeds; but which{pring out of the fkin about the fame time, like corn from a cultivated field; advance nearly with an equal rapidity, till they have at- tained their full perfection of growth; they then loeen from the fkin nearly at the fame period{when a new crep{prings up below) and fall off in large parcels all at once, fo as to leave the body, at one period, nearly bare, or covered only with a fhort coat of wool. Hairs, on the other hand, (fuch of them as are of an annual growth) only) loofen from the{kin feparately, and at remote periods from each other, and, unlefs where they are accidentally matted together, Vote. ¥ fo ee ——~ age — x ae Se ee ce ee g22 DISQUISITIONS ON fo as to entangle the loofe hairs among thofe that are fatt; they fall off individu- ally one by one,’and are fucceeded by cther individual hairs to fupply their place. And as this procefs goes on through the greateft part of the year, the length of the coat of bair-bearing animals, if left to themfelves,. is not near fo different, at different feafons of the year, as that of wool-bearing animals. Hair, indeed, as well as wool, feems to part from the animal more freely during the{pring and earlier part of the fummer than in the autumn and winter feafon; but as the hairs loofen individually, and fall off| {eparately, and as frefh hairs feem to{pring| out to fupply the place of thofe which have fallen off the moment they are difplaced, as takes place with regard to the fhedding of teeth among young animals, it muft ne- céffarily happen, that the pile, or, as we| call it, the fur of foft-haired animals, will be thinner, and confequently lefs abundant in fummer than in winter; a fact that has been often remarked in regard to hares,| rabbits, and other fur-bearing animals, but| which has not, to my knowledge, been hitherto fully adverted to, This has 4 been, hone vidu. other And eateft at of ves, ons of nals. ms to luring mmer 1; but fall off ){pring h have ed, as ing of ft ne- as We ls, will bundant that has ‘hares, nals, but x, beet isis been, WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 323 been, in general, attributed to the effe@ of heat, phyfically confidered; and hence it has been inferred, that all fursbearing animals would carry a thin coat of fur in hot cli- mates univerfally; a fact that is clearly contradicted by experience. This pheno- menon feems to be conneéted rather with the revolutions of the feafons, like the in- cubation of birds, and the{pringing up of certain plants and flowers, at particular feafons of the year. The fleece appears indeed to be-very thin during the warm feafon, but this is not fo much becaufe there are fewer hairs in it, but becaufe many of thefe hairs are then fo fhert, as to contribute little to the weight of the pile; whereas, in winter, thefe fhort hairs have| become longer, and thus thicken the pile by growing up among the longer hairs that have adhered to the{kin during the whole of the fummer feafon. This hypothefis feems to be{trongly confirmed by a fact re{pecting furs that has not hitherto been much adverted to, which, I have reafon to believe, prevails very univerfally, viz. that if a lock of the hair taken from any Vs? kind POET PE PTET OLS TOES a= eh aa ORR 324 DISQUISITIONS ON kind of fur, be held by the points and combed the reverfe way, a much greater proportion of it would always be combed out, than ever happens with regard to any kind of wool if treated after the fame man- ner. Hence, lam, at prefent, inclined to infer, that this great diverfity in the length of the different filaments in the fame pile, is a diftinguifhing characteriftic between hair and wool, let the finenefs of each be what it may.~- I fpeak at prefent however only hypothetically, for I have not had opportunities fufficient to obferve thefe fats to enable me to fpeak with certainty. 2dly, A filament of wool has no deter- mat proportional thicknefs in its different parts, but is variable in all poffible propor- tions. Sometimes, the root-end is thicker than. the points; fometimes, and indeed for the Pag part, in this clumate, the points are. thicker than the roots; fometimes, the 1iC middle is thicker than either end; fome- times, it is quite the reverfe; at’ fome times, the variation of thicknefs is great, and extremely perceptible; at other times, the filament is of an equal thicknefs i ohout throughout ver had thefe any. eter rent' Scratch ace: eee 2 rn a oe me WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 22 32 throughout all its parts. Thefe variations in regard to the thicknefs of the different parts of a filament of wool, have been proved, by experiment, to depend upon the degree of heat or cold that has acted .upon the animal at the time the filament was in its{tate of growth; that part of it which grew during the influence of a con- tinuation of warm weather, being always thicker than that part of it which grew during cold weather; the difference of fize varying with the difference of temperature, in all proportions, the fize of the filament continuing the fame only where the animal has been kept in an equal temperature of heat during the whole period of its growth. Hairs, on the contrary, feem to have always a determinate fhape and relative proportion, under whatever circumftances they fhall have been produced—one{pe- cies of hairs being of one fhape and pro- portion, and another kind of another fhape. In general(and with no exception, that I know of) the body-hairs of animals are thickeft at the root, and taper fenfibly to- ee wards ee ae ee Sane ee a ee wig PE ee nn 326 DISQUISITIONS ON wards the point, which is directly the re- verfe with all wool of grown fheep in this country*. By I find reafon to proceed with great caution in this Difquifition, becaufe I have not had opportunities of obferving facts with the neceflary precifion to enable me to deduce general conclufions with the certainty I with to do. The obfervation in the text is juft, as far as refpects the common breeds of animals that are reared in this country; but{ince the above was written, I have feen reafon to believe, that there is a much greater diverfity in this refpect, than 1 fufpeCted at the time that paper was written. Before that time, I had often re- marked, that the kind of hair called femps, which grows among the wool of our fheep, is always thicker at the roots than the points; from whence[ naturally inferred, that all kinds oe hair that grows up among woel, was always of the fame fort. I now find that this isnot the cafe; for the oe fheep of Jamaica, which carry a con- fiderable proportion of very fine wool, bear, at the fame time, a kind of hair, intermixed among that wool, which is totally different from the kemps among our wool, in many‘apias 3 in particular, it is imvariably much thicker at the points; that is to fay, coarfer, of greater diameter, taking each hair individually, than at the roots. It is alfo uniformly of a greater length than the wool, fo as to cover that wool over the whole body, which is directly the reverfe with kemps. Each of thefe hairs of the Jamaica fheep, is marked from the point downwards with tranfverle rings, of fhort diameter, that are WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 329 ie Tt By thefe two criteria, wool may be, in 1 this general, diftinguifhed from hair, where By are alternately black and white, fo as to give it very much the external appearance of badger’s hair. way I find reafon, alfo, to be fatisfied, that the form and HOE external appearance of the hairs of different animals Nes- differ greatly from each other. Among thofe which wih have fallen under my own obfervation, the hairs of the bali' animal(a fine fkin of which I faw in the poflef- mb fion of Mr. Forsytu, at Kenfington) is, perhaps, an the moft uncommon I have feen. Thefe hairs are ftiff, se and approach, in part, to the nature of quills, though ie they are much fofter and more flexible than thofe of the° ‘_ hedge-hog or porcupine, They draw to a narrow pointy, a and are much thicker at the root. Each hair has the ° appearance of being a flaccid tube, and is a little twifted, tat the fomewhat in a fpiral form, fo as to have a flight erred, appearance of a rope. p was Hairs differ alfo from each other in refpect to the ot the manner in which they are placed into the fkin.* The aes moft beautiful variety of this kind I have feen, is that ¢ fame of the great polar or. white bear, the hairs of which ywhica are placed all over the{kin in tufts, with bare places joa), it between, exactly lixe the briftles in a clothes-bruth. y mach Thefe are placed in rows with the moft perfe&t regula- greater‘rity, like cabbages planted with the utmoft precifion in 1 at the a garden, fo that when the fkin is folded back, either than the acrofs the body, or lengthwife, or diagonally, the ikin dle bodts 3s difcovered clear between them, in regular rows. , of tele Other variations, I have no doubt, take place in regard the pount this particular, that have never fallen within the fphere fer, that ef my obfervation. ae Xe 4 they } u Y , 328 DISQUISITIONS ON they are entirely uncompounded, without difficulty. But as all the different varietics of theep breed readily with each other, and produce a mongrel race, in which the dif- criminative qualities of the parents are blended together, it neceflarily follows, that where the mongrel breed is produced betweén a, wool’and a hair-bearing race, it 2 E will afford a fleece that can neither be dif- a tinGtly characterifed as hair nor as wool, but will participate of the qualities of both.| If this mongrel fhall mix again with a!| wool-bearing race, the fleece of the de-| fcendant will approach nearer to wool; if with a hair-bearing race, nearer to hair;' and fo on, they may be blended im 7n- initum. By this means, the diftinetive' chara€teriltics of hair and wool may be, in time, entirely loft, and fleeces be produc-] ‘ed that are neither the one nor the other.| Whis feems to‘be precifely the cafe with moft of the breeds of fheep in Britain at the prefent day; and we muft 20, in fome mea-~ huine breeds; but‘which, if attended to, will enable us to account for various phe- Se sui a i nomena that have puzzled many intelligent, men. 4 The fure, out of the ifland, to recover the ge~ 2 WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 329 hot The moft uncontaminated breed of wool- etic bearing fheep I have as yet met with, is, ) and the Shetland breed; and there the wool rifes dif fo entirely from the fkin, about the begin- are_ ning of June, as to render the fhearing of WS, their fheep unneceflary. It may be plucked aced off at that time without Sy aes to the Britt. animal the{malleft uneafinefs, as it will fall dil off of itfelf, if not rai away; the young ool,: fleece{pringing up en it like a young oth. horn‘fleece.’ The fame phenomenon is th a obfervable in‘all the breeds of fheep in the - northern parts of Scotland, where the proper| Ls if time for fhearing is always indicated by na- halt 3 ture, and muit be attended to For al- the though thefe fheep-have go ¢ fash an inter- tive mixture with the hair a race ias not} 2 in to allow it to loofen quite fo entirely as Jue- that of the Shetland breed; yet it is loofen- caer, ed to fuch a degree, that if the theep are saith fhorn too foon, and before the wool is pro- tte“perly rien as the phrafe there is, its. difh- ee cult to pafs the fheers through it, and the ae{kin is left very bare, the young wool not He ou 3:-—e i being yet grown. On the other hand, if CO Ws S phe- ligent that fhearing be too long delayed, the young wool has giown to fuch a length as to en- , 1 tangle The sore ae 5 rei<—— ae- ST Sesion—-= 330° DISQUISITIONS ON tangle the fheers in it, fo as to cut off a part of it, which is both troublefome to the fheep-fhearer, and when it is thus fhorn, the wool is ufelefs. But when the wool is rifen to its proper ftate, the fheers flide over the young fleece, and cut off the few remaining hairs of the old fleece with the utmotft eafe, fo that the fheep difcovers no marks of being new fhorn, and looks like a lamb in dee refped It: would feem that there is a much greater proportion of the hair-bearing race among the breeds of fheep in the fouthern parts of the ifland; for I obferve that Mr. Liste, who lived in Hampfhire, and was an attentive obferver, though he had heard of this young wool, under the name of rowety-wool, had never{een it. It is well known in Scotland, that this phenomenon does not depend on the leannefs of wool- bearing fheep, as he fuppofes, but takes place among thofe that are in the beft con- dition fooneit*. The * T find that moft people have an idea, that the phes nomenon of young wool rifing at the bottom of the fleece of fheep before fhearing, and all the peculiarities here mentioned, are entirely occafioned by a check the fheep have received from a want of food in the winter: tc V - WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 331 Dare ae: ! The pureft of the hair-bearing fheep I the 2 as have feen, were fome fleeces that were fent ,f;: ve to me from the Baltic, which were as evi- Ile° a dently hair as the fleece of a goat, though the| finer and fofter. The Ruffians prefer this une breed of fheep, becaufe the fleece, when at +{0 its full length, adheres fo much more firmly “Ing to the fkin than wool dees, that it lafts that much longer when made into clothing than O the other; for which reafon, a wool-bear- ich ing fheep among them is a great rarity. ‘ace Among the fheep referable to this clafs, ern there are fome breeds which afford a{mall Mr. quantity of a very fine foft wool underneath was the hair, of which the Argai of Patras ard| ES ¢ to this opinion I cannot accede, for the reafon after-men- “ tioned; though I_know well that when a fheep has fuf- ell tained a great ftrefs of weather during winter, it does on happen that the old fleece fometimes feparates prematurely at from the fkin; but in that cafe the fleece becomes mat- a ted, and aflumes an appearance extremely different from Kes the natural healthy rifing above alluded to. In this on- Jaft cafe, the wool does not feparate in the early part of the fpring as where it is matted; but it adheres to it rhe till the month of June at leaft, and even then it locfens \ in a gradual manner, as the young ficece begins to rife, >| eiize i and always fooneft upon the fheep in the beit condition; fhe 3 2 ty which, on that account, are often fhorn ten days or a fortnight fooner than the others. the eS 1s ter: to |- ae— Le,‘- Poe 2 5.— ss aes—= ili acai; ie a 332 DISQUISITIONS- ON is a noted example; but the greateft part of the varieties we know have none of this. I have never heard of an unadulterated breed of this kind that had ftitchel-hair among the fleece, though it is often found among the mongrel breeds between this and the former. Neither have I ever heard of a finer kind of wool being found at the bottom of the fleece of any of the wool- bearing breeds. The very long wool of Lincolnthire, which I have examined with care, appears to be from a mongrel race, very nearly al- lied to this clafs, with a{mail blend of-wool in it; and is of a harder feel than fome of the pure hairy breeds, fome of which are tolerably fine and foft, and very tough and durable in work, and have a fine clofiy filky-like appearance. I have had wool, of the genuine wool-bearing breed of theep, that meafured 172 inches in length, which was extremely fine and foft, and nothing re- fembling that hafky kind of hair-wool in Lincolnthire. CLASS —_— WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 333 www uo CLASS THIRD. SHEEP fhat carry SHORT THICK HAIR, which in no refpect refembles qool of any fort. Or this variety of fheep-{pecies we have no breeds in Britain; but that fuch fheep do exift, we have the cleareft proofs. So little are they known, indeed, in this coun- try, and fo little is it fufpected here that fuch an animal exifts, that I was not a lit- tle furprifed when I firft faw one of this kind, and therefore examined it with a good deal of attention.‘This creature was on board a Danifh Eaft- India fhip that put into Leith roads laft feafon[1794] and was bought,with fevera] others of the fame fort, as they affured me, in the ifland of Mada- gafcar, It was a ram of a good fize, and was covered all over with a thick coat of fhort thick ftiff hairs, like thofe of a horfe, but rather{tronger in the pile, and fhorter.‘The colour was a fine brown, The hair lay clofe to the fkin, and was very fmooth and glofly, like the coat ofa well- 4 drefled 334 DISQUISITIONS ON drefied horfe, in fine order.‘They affured me, it had never had any other covering on it but what I faw, and that all his compa- nions were of the fame fort. This fact threw the fubject of fheep into a new point of view, that I had never ad- verted to before; and enabled me to account for fome phenomena refpeting fheep, that had puzzled me a good deal. In the ac- SQunte tae res had given of the famous Boucharian lamb-fkin furs, fome of the fan oe he mentioned appeared to me tobe incompatible with the nature of wool, and much more nearly allied to hat of hair. But, as I had no idea that any fheep of this kind exifted, I was per- lexed about it, and could come to no de- cided opinion refpecting it, Since then, I have had an opportunity of feeing a night- gown, lined with Boucharian: lamb-fkin fur, which, I find, confifts of nothing elfe but Aair, without the{malleft intermix- ture of wool.' It is fomewhat longer than the Madagafcar fheep’s hair, fofter, and. gently waved by means of a little curl upon it, which gives to it the beautiful foli- age-like appearance for which thefe furs have WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 335 have been fo much valued; fo that this forms a fecond variety of this clafs of fheep. While I am juft writing, I have received a letter from Sir Josrpu Banxs, bart. on this fubject; who fays,** I once imported *‘ three fheep from Spain, which were as ** fleek and{mooth as a horfe, and never, at ““ any feafon, fhowed the leaft fign of wool “Sor down in the moft minute quantity.” The fact, then, is inconteftrbly eftablithed,« that fheep, which produce as little wool as horfes do, exift; and, perhaps, aie are much more common than we at prefent fufpect.©The Boucharian breed of fheep is kept in immenfe flocks, over the exten- five plains of| Great Tartary. I have been alfo afiured, of late,‘that they have a breed of this kind of fheep in the ifland of An- tigua. And laft trintce ee I faw a fheep of this fort, in a field near Dulwich, in Kent, within three miles of the metropolis, feeding quietly, and very tame—fo as to fuffer me to come quite clofe up to it, to examine the hair. Where it had come from, I could not learn; but, it feemed to be L 33¥ ISQUISITIONS ON be a different variety from the Madagafear fheep I had formerly feen. In colour, in | particular, it was very different; the Mada- gaitcar fheep being of a clear gloffy brown, this one white, with a few dark-coloured {pots upon it. So that this.kind of wool- lefs fheep, feems to be by no means rare. I am affured, that the greater part of the fheep in India are of this fort, though there are’ alfo many of the wool-bearing race to be found in thofe regions.| A natural inference fro m thefe facts is, that fince we find one clafs of animals, fome breeds of which produce wool, and hair, in no refpects refembling wool, may ro di it fhould popes! that. thé inhabitants of one country fhould be poffeffed only of the hair-bearing breed-of creatures of that fort, like the Madagafcarefe{heep, and ees other:fort; yet, there sis no reaifon, from that. circumftance, for them-to oe that no-other-breed-of.that kind 2 of creature exifts. This train of reafoning (?]£26 tn1 ex 1: as being fugeefted, it-roufed the mind to at- WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 337 tend to facts; and I had foon occafion to obferve, that fo far from having reafon to be furprifed at finding breeds of fheep fo much diverfified, as above fet forth, there Were innumerable well-known facts, which, if adverted to, would have led to the fame conclufion. For example: there is no man in Britain, who has not had occafion to obferve as great a diverfity in regard to the coat of dogs as of fheep. 1ff, The fmooth-haired dog; examples of which, are, the Italian greyhound, and Spanifh pointer. 2dly, The long-haired, foft, wavy-fleeced dog; as in the Englith fpaniel, and New- foundland dog. 3dly, The wool-bearing dog, or, at leatft, the dog that carries a coat, which for clofe- nefs, length, and foftnefs, may be com- pared to wool, is verycommion. Some of them carrying an immenfe quantity of hair, of a long lank quality, and others carrying it of a clofe curled texture, very like the fleece of many kinds of fheep.‘The fleece of thefe creatures muft be fhorn at the be- ginning of fummer, to let them be com- Vou. Il. Z, fortably 338 DISQUISITIONS ON fortably cool; and I have feen it.{pun and worked into ftockings, which could not be diftinguifhed from wool. I have in my poffeffion at prefent, fome of the hair of a dog of this kind, that I found in London, belonging to a black- {mith, which is foftas wool, and which I find has among it a few hairs refembling, in every refpect, that kind of hair called kemps, which has been hitherto deemed quite peculiar to the fheep kind. N.B. There is a kind of fox, in Siberia, that carries a fur exaétly like woo/, as I -have been affured by a gentleman who lived long there. The Ruffian name of it, being literally tranflated, is, the little dog’s fur. The fame diverfity is obfervable in re- gard to goats: as, 1/?, The{mooth fh oft haired goat, very mmon. Asi, The long- siired thagey goat, very €ommon alfo."The hair of this kind of goat is ufually very coarfe; but underneath it, ag in the long-haired breeds of fheep, there is a quantity of wool, of an exceed- ingly fine quality, which may be feparated from WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 339 from it about the month of June, by comb- ing. From this circumitance, it would feem that this wool, like the wool of the fheep, rifes from the fkin, and becomes loofened from it, while the hair ftill ad- heres firmly to it. Of the finenefs of the quality of this kind of wool, you may fatisfy yourfelf, by examining the fmall fhred of a little web that will accompany this, of that kind of wool, which was ma- nufactured under my eye here laft fummer. There was as much of it, as made three full-fized fthawls and a waiftcoat-piece, from whence the pattern fent was cuts The chain is filk, as there was too little materials to make it of wool. Thefe thawls were compared with the fineft India fhawls that could be found in this place, and were deemed fofter than any of them. The fhawl-wool in India is precifely of the fame nature, and is obtained from the Thibet goat. I have examined fome Thibet goats in thiscountry, and find their hair rather longer and coarfer than the common European goat, from which it differs:little. If it was a fair fpecimen I faw, the weo/ was rather Z 2 lef mgd vine 2.. 4 _——_ a~ 340 DISQUISITIONS ON lefs abundant on thefe than on the common goat. 3dly, The wool-bearing goat, for fo I think the Angora goat may be called, whofe hair is as fine, as foft, and as fit for work, as almoft any wool; but’ whether it ries like wool, or is in this refpect like hair, I have had no opportunity of obferving. A {pecimen of Angora goats-hair, produced in Britain, will accompany this., Whether there will ever be difcovered the fame diverfity of hogs, I cannot tell; but, we already are acquainted, in Europe, with fomething analogous to the two 0 firft- mentioned breeds of fheep, viz. tf, The{mooth fhort-haired Chinefe breed. The Jamaica breed of hogs be- longs alfo to this clafs. 2dly, The long-haired breed, having wool under its long briftles; of this kind, is the {mall breed of hogs found in Orkney and the Shetland Ifles. Its briftles are. very long and fhageed; and under them is found a very abundant quantity of wool, which is foft; but its peculiar qualities have not been as yet fufficiently inveftigated. I have hitherto ih a ee ee tee hitherto heard of no breed of hogs that carries wool only. | Hence, it appears, that the diverfity of animals that carry wool, is much greater than has hitherto been in general fufpected; nor can we at prefent fay, "with any deéree of certainty, that there may not ftill exift, in fome corner of the globe, one or more of every{pecies of domeftic animals we are now in the cuftom of rear- ing, andthat do not carry wool with‘us, which may alfo carry wool, as well as fome varieties of the fheep. And fince it is well known, that the inhabitants of Europe have derived great advantages from felect- ing the wool-bearing breeds of /heep, and rearing them in place of the{mooth-haired fort; it is equally, certain, that, could we difcover any varieties of the other domettic animals of the{mooth-haired kinds, that we have been accuftomed to rear, which fhould afford woo/ as the fheep does, the benefit we might derive from{ubftituting thefe wool-bearing breeds, inftead of thofe hairy forts we now propagate, would be very great, if their qualities in other re{pects be nearly the fame. i 3 Of ies 2 ( } 342 DISQUISITIONS ON Of all the varieties of domeftic animals we have been accuftomed to rear in Eu- rope, next to the fheep, the bullock is the moft valuable. We, it is true, like the inhabitants of Madagafcar with regard to fheep, have been hitherto in the cuftom of rearing the fmooth-haired bullock only; and though, perhaps, like the inhabitants of Madagafcar, we may have accidentally heard that there are fome varieties of this clafs of animals that carry fomething like wool, in other parts of the world; yet as thefe have never/come to our door, and prefented themfelves to us, we either doubt if fuch animals do exift, or conclude they would not thrive with us, and therefore fit full, contented with what we have, without making any efforts to better ourfelves. Is it not a well known fa@, that- we have con- tinued for more than a hundred years paft to import wool‘from Spain in great quantities every year, without ever once at- tempting to rear the breed of fheep that produced it, though they were in a manner at our door? Andis it not alfo known, that inftead of making a fair experiment to af- certain . sas a oy ~— ae WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 343 certain with precifion whether that wool could be produced here or not, writers have been fquabbling with each other about the poffibility of a thing which could never be proved pro or con by reafoning, but by fair experiment only? And is it not alfoa fact, that although it be now proved to demonftration, by repeated experiments, that the wool of fheep brought from Spain, does not degenerate in Britain, there has been, till this hour, no attempt made to ob- tain a fingle individual of the jize/? breed of fheep from Spain? And is it not alfoa ieee that becaufe thofe fheep that have been brought over from Spain, at random, have not been fo fine in the carcafe as fome of the feleted and improved breeds of fheep in Britain, that different perfons are ftill dif- puting about the poffibility of having fheep with a good carcafe from Spain; as if a fact of this fort could be afcertained without ac- curate trial and experiment? Thus do we Gt in our elbow-chairs, and argue, with- out data, till we reafon ourfelves into indo- lence and inattention, that make us remain contented with the dregs only of what LZ 4. might iit Wi i Ng eR nS ete 344 DISQUISITIONS ON might eafily be within our reach. To men in thefe circumftances the words of the poet may be applied: O leaden-hearted men, to be in love with death! It is moft certain, that the perfon who ventures to roufe the attention of men to the inveftigation of facts which they have not been saccuftomed to take: notice of, mutt inevitably expofe himfelf to the{neer of ignorance; but that is of little confe- quence, if it fhould chance to throw a fin- gle ray of light upon a fubjeat that has been’ hitherto involved in‘darknefs. That there is nearly an equal diverfity of breeds of cattle as of theep, fcarcely ad- ‘mits of a doubt; of which the following facts are proofs: iff, The fhort{mooth-haired breeds. Of thefe, the thorteft I have feen, is a bull; of the Zebu kind, that was lately exhibited in Edinburgh, as a fhow. His hair did not ex- ceed half an inch in length, and was very clofe, firm, and elaftic.-There are many breeds of cattle in Britain, the Holderneffe in particular, the hair of whichis fhort and very{mooth. 2dly, } ] | WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 345 adly, The long foft wavy hairy breeds. Of thefe the Lancafhire cattle are area good example; and many of the Highland breeds, fome of which have manes like horfes.- 3dly, The long foft wool-like bearing breed, of which.the buffaloe, or rather bi- fon, of Lopifiania, is the chief. The hair of this animal is faid to refemble clothing wool, in length, in thicknefs, and in clofe- nefs; a fmall fpecimen of this wool, is inclofed, which I received from Sir Jofeph. Banks, bart. But as the creature has‘ne? ver yet been domefticated, or fubjeéted to particular obfervation, by men whofe judg- ment could be relied upon, our notions of it are but very imperfect. I do not hear that there are any long hairs upon this breed of cattle. 4thly, The long-haired wool-bearing breeds. Belonging to this clafs there are three varieties obfcurely. known, viz. iff, The Sarluc, by fome naturallifts called the grunting ox, an animal of the Southern Tartary, which is not yet fuffici- ently known. The fleece of this creature 18 ~ —— 346 DISQUISITIONS ON is{aid to be: thick and long, falling down below its knees, and of a very fine quality. 2dly, The Chittigong cow, of the high- er Hindoftan, which is defcribed nearly in the fame terms.—Its hair, or wool, is much efteemed by the natives, and is ap- plied by them to various purpofes. 3dly, The Mutk ox, of Hudfon’s- Bay. This animal is much better known to me than the former, as I had the defcription from a gentleman in Edinburgh who lived many years in Hudfon’s- Bay, and who had een thoufands of them, dead and alive. Uhe whole body of this creature, which is rather lefs than a middle.-fized ox with us, 1s covered over with a very clofe fleece of long, foft, flexible:hair, of a fine quality, which might be employed in manufactures for many of the fame purpofes as. wool, Beneath that hair, and towards its roots, lies another coat of exceedingly fine wool, which could be applied in fabrics of the fineft quality. It has been{pun and worked into gloves and ftockings, which are{aid to be as foft as- filk. The buffaloe-wool in- clofed, I thowed to the gentleman, who_ faid SS Sean=—s pores A eee ee e WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 347 faid it was nothing like fo fine as that of the mufk-ox.| The fleth of this kind of ox is very fine, wnlefs at the rutting feafon, when it ac- quires, a mufky flavour, from whence its name. Herds of many thoufands of them are to be found up the country, among the Efquimaux, but none of them have ever yet been domefticated. They do not feem to be either fo wild or fo ferocious as the wild breed of European cattle that are full kept in Whittingham-park, Northum- berland. To fhow what practical ufes may‘be de- rived from thefe facts, I fhall beg leave to fubjoin a few farther obfervations on. fub- jects conneéted with this, that have re- fulted, in fome meafure, from the enqui- ries which have been fet on foot by. the wool fociety: 1/7, It is now afcertained, that all the varieties of fheep yet known do readily in- tercopulate with each other, and that the progeny is a prolific animal, capable of continuing the{pecies; but that in ref{pect to its chara¢teriftic qualities, it is of a mon- grel race, participating nearly alike of the qualities 348 DISQUISITIONS ON qualities of both its parents. Andas thefe mongrel breeds may be intermixed with other varieties 7 infinitum, it may in many cafes happen, that new mongrels may be produced, in which the diftinguifhing pecu-| liarities of the original breeds may be blend-| coos FR ase 2, ‘-: cS ed in all poffible proportions, and loft. In like manner, the varieties of dogs may be blended and loft, if no care be taken a to preferve them; and fo of cattle: At| leaft, we know for certain, that the differ- i ent European breeds may be fo; and we have reafon to believe, that the buffaloe, the zebu, and the other varieties that have— not yet been tried in Europe, may be| blended together. adly, The effets of climate and food, in altering the qualities of the drced, are found to be nothing; though the effec of thefe things upon the individudl creature that is fubjected to their influence, may, in _fome cafes, be very perceptible. For ex- ample: Tt has been fhown above, that the wool of wool-bearing fheep is affeéted by heat or cold; but this is nearly in-the fame manner ag heat or cold affe@t the mercury iA 8 WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 349 in the thermometer.| It is a momentary -impulfe, which ceafes to operate the in- {tant its influence is withdrawn;.and the animal, which may have been made to undergo great variations of heat, returns to its former ftate as foon as its original temperature is reftored. But even this variation feems to.be felt only by the qwoo/- bearing breeds; and is, befides, of much lefs powerful influence than has been ufu- ally fuppofed. Nor is there is a fingle fact, that has ever been difcovered, that gives the fmalleft countenance to the generally- received opinion, that heat tends either to make the fleece thinner in pile, or to en- courage the growth of hairs among it; far lefs, that it operates, as M. Burrow and his followers affert, in producing perma- nent changes on the defcendants of the -animals. Heat likewife tends to accelerate tize fat- tenning of fome animals, to whom it is con- genial; as the hog, to‘an aftonifhing degree. Richnefs of pafture alfo tends to produce temporary changes. On the wool: there +s reafon to believe it tends to augment its panes te een oe a ee ——~--~ en REE OS Ena gOS TE TAT 350 DISQUISITIONS ON length i fome degree, though but a little: it adds to its foftnefs and toughnefs; but,| in regard to coarfenefs or finenefs, no fact i\ has as yet been found to afcertain that it has any fenfible effe@t, though Tam aware;| that opinions are here as decifively adopted,) as if the facts had been fully afcértained. On the carcafe: abundance of food is well known to augment the fize of-all animals to,a certain degree, when compared with fcanty feeding. A{carcity of food, ap- proaching to the ftate of ftarvation, is alfo ,well known to render the wool. which grows at that period of ftarvation, brittle and unelaftic. 3dly.‘The influence of breed, in propa- gating the qualities of the parent ftock, or in altering the qualities of it at pleafure, by blendisg it with others, may be{aid to be all-powerful.‘There is not a fingle faa, that Ishave ever beenable to meet with, pro- perly afcertained, which tends to fhow, that Py the diftinguifhing peculiarities of any breed : of animals can be fenfibly changed in its effential characteriftics, by any Change of cli- mate, or any other circumftance, except an intermixture of blood alone; but innume- rable|| | WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 351 tte: rable faéts may be found that afcertain the bay contrary.‘The Perfian and Arabian breeds ) fad of horfes brought into Europe, are only iat it changed by intercopulating with other Ware breeds. The Chinefe hogs may be con- ited, tinued for ages unchanged, if no crofs be ned, permitted. Thefe facts are notorious; and well every other fac upon this fubjeé tends to imals eftablith the fame conclufion. with 4thly, Although the fame breed of ani- ap- mals appears not to be liableto be changed alfo by climate, or other extraneous caufes, yet hich it is found by experience, that individuals rittle may be met with, among every breed of|| animals, which are, in fome lefler circum-\ pa{tances, different from others, though they or{till poffefs the general characteriftics of the f by parent breed, arifing from circumftances that have hitherto eluded our obfervation, and att which it therefore exceeds our power either 0 to accelerate or to retard. So ftrong allo that is the propenfity of nature, in all edles, i Au to produce its own kind, that if the fi | individuals pofieffing thefe qualities, thus, as we would fay, accidentally procured, I . whether beneficial or hurtful, be feleGted ee een ene tan: a and put to breed with others that poffefs i qualities ble 352 DISQUISITIONS ON $9 qualities fomewhat of the fame fort, it is found, that the defcendants of thefe felected animals will, in general, be poffeffed of the diftinguifhing peculiarity for which they were felected, in an eminent degree; though among thefe alfo fome individuals will be found to have lefs of it than others: And if thefe leaft approved individuals be banith- ed from the felected ftock; and thofe, both males and females, which poffefs the wifhed-for quality in the moft eminent de- grec, be put to breed together, the de- fcendants of thefe will be ftill more im- proved: and by continuing this mode of feleGtion for a great length of time, the improvement, as to this particular quality, may be carried to an indefinite height. In this way, may be produced an improved breed; which, though agreeing in the ge- neral characteriftics with the parent ftock from which it was felecied, may pofflefs fome peculiar qualities in a much higher degree than it does. It is of much importance to the practical farmer, to advert to this peculiarity in the economy of nature, becaufe it puts it very much within his. power to benefit himfelf 4 by —— WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 353 a by attention and care, in regard to circum- tee{tances that would otherwife feem to be hey entirely Beyond his reach, For we he to oh be perfuaded that certain peculiarities he ‘The withes to obtain, are neceffarily dependant | upon a temperature of climate he never And can enjoy, or’ that certain bad qualities in nith. the animals he breeds are infeparably depen- ole dant upon the nature of his pafture, which § the it exceeds his power to change, he mutt of de of neceflity fit down contented with what : dee he has, without a hope of improvements: > m= but if upon examining the facts above ftat- de of ed with attention, he fhall find that the , the influence of breed is fo powerful as is there ality, ftated, he will be at pains, in the firft place, In to look around him, to fee if he can difco- ayed 4, ver any breed poffeffing qualities, upon the e ge- whole, more valuable than his own, which ftock is found to fubfift on paftures of a quality voflels not better than his own; and when he has pigher once found them, continue, with uninter- rupted attention, to felect the beft in all re- actical fpects, particularly thofe that thrive beft ‘n the among them, to breed from. This has been ve done by Mr. Bakzwe tt, and thofe whe rinse have adopted his fyftem, with fuch fuccefs, by VoL. Ai. Aa ag —= 3=—— ae a~ 354 DISQUISITIONS ON as not only to eftablifh the Ce for which I contend beyond a doubt, but alfo to give room for encouraging others to adopt a fimilar pl an for improvements in other re-| fpects, than thofe that feem, hitherto, to have come within the compafs of his plan. gipiy,. Ehere feems to be no reafon for elieving that any one peculiarity we may be in quett of, is neceflarily connected with, or dependant upon, any other peculiarity in the animal creation. For example: (he improv ers of live ftock, in the prefent age, hold it out to view, asa general prin- ciple, that a facility in fattening is invaria- bly connected with certain peculiarities in Pay fhape; sited of courfe they conclude, that, wherever thefe peculiarities of fhape are to be found, the facility of fattening will be found alfo, and the reverfe. This, I con- tend, is a falfe principle, and I venture to fay, that when the facts fhall come to be thoroughly inveftigated, their conclufion will be found to be erroneous; indeed it is in fome degree departed from in practice al- ready, though in theory the principle is ftill adopted, without limitation. A few years azo, fhortnefs of leg was deemed a point in- difpenfably N WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS, 34; le or difpenfably neceflary in a feeding beatt, and alfo tp it went the length of almoft being deemed opt——the fhorter the better: this. is now no on longer contended for. Many of the charac- C0, to teriftics of the prefent day, will, in like man- plan. ner, gradually fall into difufe, as people on for come to open their eyes on this fubje@. ye may 1e fact is, I have feen animals that had a l with, ans cman to fatten, which areal- larity| moft, in every refpect, the reverfe of the nple: fhape moft highly efteemed at t prefent, and refent the contrary. And by referring r every per-| pri fon who has had. oppor ortunities of obferv-‘ arias ing many breeds of the fame kind of ani- if res it mals, to his own experience, I have. no 4 that, doubt, but he will eafily recollect inftances i Het of the fame kind; or, at leaft, if his mind be} ill be unprejudiced, that he will foon have occa- q a fion to obferve it. To that experience, q ire to then, whether paft or to come, I refer on f ‘tobe this occafion.| i io One circumftance,. however, it is necef~ Ait fary here to advert to, viz. that as the breeds sip of animals from which the fele@tion was a fil. begun, were originally of very: good kinds, ‘a and: chanced at the fame-time to poflefs dhs thofe fhapes that are now deemed-fo effen- ie Aa2 tially nfably <<—— a_— Ce ane a 356 DISQUISITIONS ON tially requifite; and as the improved breeds that have been feleéted from. thefe are found to poflefs thofe fhapes, it is by no means an unnatural conclufion to infer, that thefe fhapes are in fome degree infepa- rably connected with the propenfity to fat- ten eafily. Had it chanced that equal pains had been beftowed upon{electing from another good breed that was differ- ently fhaped, the prejudice would have been equally ftrong, in favour of that fhape. But as the breeds that have been hitherto the object of felection, have got the ftar of all others in point of improvement, it is probable the prejudice in favour of their fhape may long continué to prevail; nor do I with it to be underftood that I have any prejudice againft the fhapes recommended. Far from it, for I think them very beauti- ful—I only with to fay, that that circum- {tance is not effentially connected with the other;: for as every error, when ad- mitted as a truth leads to unforefeen and often pernicious confequences, though the opinion objected to may not be of much confequence in the particular inftance now under confideration, its influence may WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 357 may be very unfavourable in regard to others,. Allow me to add one farther illu tration on this head, before I put an end to this lortg paper: 3 If it be admitted, that a faculty of fatten- ing eafily be neceffarily conneéted with certain peculiarities of{hape, merely be- caufe it chances accidentally, as I will fay, that thefe two peculiarities happen to be united in that breed of animals which has been brought forward to notice; we ought, by the fame mode of reafoning, to infer, that that quality of fattening eafily, is as neceflarily conneG@ted with coarfenefs of wool, or lightnefs of fleece, or any other ufelefs or hurtful peculiarity, if it thould fo happen that the favourite breed chanced to have coarfe wool, or a thin fleece,&c. The confequence of this conclufion would be, that every man who withed to improve the carcafe of his fheep, would turn away from every breed of fheep that carried fine wool or a clofe fleece, as he now does from thofe breeds that have long legs, or what is deemed in other refpects, improper{hapes; and fine-woolled fhee p, carrying clofe fleeces, would come to be entirely neglected. But Aa 2 if, 358 DISQUISITIONS ON if, inftead of this prevention, he fhould be convinced, that it might be very poffible to find a theep that would have a tendency to fatten kindly among thofe breeds that carry very fine wool and‘clofe fleeces; he would & as anxious to fele€&t from thefe breeds, as from others; and probably as fuccefsful too, if he had fet out at the fame time with the man who beg ran‘to: Aclect from the coarfe breed. I am, myfelf, perfectly fa- tisied, from a variety of facts that have fallen under my own obfervation, which would filla volume nearly to enumerate, that fine wool, for example, 1s neither ne- ceflarily connected with thinnefs of pile, (the Spanifh fheep carr the clofeft pile of fleece yet known in this country) with fhortnefs‘of ftaple(I once had a fleece of wool, that meafured 17 inches and half, which was finer than the beft Spanifh-wool I could buy in London, and extremely foft’) with tendernefs of conftitution, with a ten- dency to fatten flowly, or with any one quality’ that can be named, though it may be accidentally: conne&ed with thefe: And Ihave not a doubt, but when the eyes of Sy 4 1¢ y+ 2 rat An&|> OFT c qa mankind in general fhall be opened, fo as. ——— aw e-——s a ee UN oe A VOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 359 A he to admit of their. examining the facts that le to fall under their notice, without prejudice, crto they will be able, in time,. to feled breeds bale that fhall be diftinguifhed not only for one Bd valuable peculiarity to fic exclufion of all eds, others, but even to obtain that valuable pe- ful culiarity conjoined with moft, if not all the ah other peculiarities that can be defired. he That period’ is, I fear, ftill at a great a diftance. V4 Ho)= But, if thefe remarks fhall tend in any a degree to call the public attention to this sath fubject, whether with a defire'to refuté or ye fo confirm thefe remarks, it will equally si, anfwer the end in view, which is to re- of move hurtful prejudices, and to difcover : i the truth. He who does fo, is on my fide, vee alike if he refutes by juft reafoning, from 0 well-eftablifhed facts, as if ie confirms ae: ar thefe remarks. wool {0 it) : y one| 4{en 360 DISQUISITIONS ON The Secretary of the Bath and Weft of England Society, to Dr. ANDERSON. HE Secretary of the Bath and Weft of England Society, begs leave, in the moft refpectful manner, to convey to Dr. ANDERSON, fome few remarks and queries, which arofe in the Committee, re- {peG@ing his excellent paper on Wool- bearing Animals. In general, as might be fairly expected, this paper was much approved; but doubts arifing on two or three fentences, they will be fet done in order, and the, Doétor will greatly oblige, by giving them# reconfideration and re- ply, as early as fhall be convenient to ni= iff,‘* And is it not alfo a fact, that «¢ though it be now proved to demonjftra- «* tion, by repeated experiments, that the ¢¢ wool of fheep brought from Spain does “<< not degenerate in Britain*, there has ** been till this hour, mo attempt made to © obtain a fingle individual of the fineft breed % of fheep§ from Spain? * Query SR Vet of IN. Welt ve, in ey to 3 and €,= Vool- might much WO of ne in blige, d re if to , that infra at the in dues re has gut to f breed Query WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 361 o>) ery from the Committee. On what experiment or experiments is this fact, be one, founded? § From the fame. Has not the attempt been made by the king, and fucceeded? Or, at any rate, are not the rams fe- leéted and fent to him by the Marchio- nefs Del Campo, to be confidered as the beft 2 2dly,** Nor is there a fingle fact, that «¢ ever has been difcovered, which gives «“ the{malleft countenance to the gene- ‘“¢ rally received opinion, that heat tends ‘© either to make the fleece thinner in “6 pile, or to encourage the erowth of “© hairs among it. Far lefs that it ope- “ rates, as M. Busron and his followers ‘¢_affert, in producing permanent changes & on the defcendants of animals+.” + Query from. the Committee. 4 this a clear cafe? Do not our sheep fent to and kept at the Weft-Indies, rather prove the contrary? To James ANDERSON, Efq. LL.D. F.R.S. ANSWER = \ i i | aoe ] | 362 DISQUISITIONS ON ANSWER to the SECRETARY. Dear Sir, Saturday, Feb. 25th, 1795, THANK you for your very kind letter of the 13th inftant, which only came to hand on Thurfday laft; I embrace the firft poft for acknowledging that favour and of giving anfwers to the queries your Committee have done me the honour to propofe. if, A variety of experiments have been made with the Spanith breed of theep, for‘three years. paft, by many: of the members of»the Society of Britith Wool. I‘have{een a{pecimens” of the wool of both parent’,‘and of the pros geny,‘which have Bes compared to- gether, by the members of tthe Commit- ee-and others; and in no inftance, has it ever been obferved, that the wool of the progeny, where the breed was pure, was coarfer than the average of the pa- oy IO Rep eT Aa pa rents. Of the effeéts of crofling, and other — WOOL- BEARING ANIMALS. 363 other PEGS affecting the wool in particular cafes, I have not time to{peak; I thall only obferve, that, in general, the Spanifh fheep that have come to Scotland have not been found to thrive, being di- ‘able to many difeafes, efpecially the foot- rot. You are aware that bad health affects the quality of the wool, in avery remarkable deeree, in fome cafes. adly, The king has ce rtainly got fheep °O from oa as has the Society for Bri-, tifh wool. But do the Committee believe, that Mr. BAKEWELL, geutlemen of the or any other eminent breeder, would have thought she could have obtained the very beft kinds of Britith beafts, by getting the Duchefs of*****,-or any other Du- chefs or Duke in the kingdom, to order her or his fteward-to buy the.beft, and fend them to him? Such are not the> fteps required to make improvements of this kind.‘Do we not all know, that every perfon of high rank is liable to be impof- ed upon by their{ervants and dependants, in almoft every thing? And w hat would have been the confequertce, if the fteward had \ I oe ome: Ee ee~—>——_ , fare siucoe Oe| ome —s_ a —— A be Fito een ra ie a aE ea 5 ere — ee eee _——— — i + 1) 4 j 5 SS es Sa s . UR ELS- a & tes Z { Hy 364 DISQUISITIONS ON had withed to fruftrate the liberal inten- tions of his miftref$? No precautions have been adopted to guard again{t this. We know, that the Jumeft woolled Spanith fheep have not been fent, becaufe finer Spanifh wool can be bought than any of them carried. And I have very great rea- fon to believe, from the information of perfons who have feen the flocks in Spain, that there are fine woolled fheep in Spain, much fuperior iz carcafe to any we have por 3aly, If any of the gentlemen of the Committee knows of any well-authenticated fa@, which proves that the fleece degene- rates, as{pecified, in the Weft-Indies, I thal] be glad to-be informed of it. I know of none, though I know it has been afferted ten thoufand times, by perfons who never had adverted to the fa@t; before I did advert to it, I myfelf believed it firmly; fince I in- vefligated the cafe with attention, I have * For the precautions neceflary to be obferved in fe. lecting theep of the beft fort, fee Account of Ruffian fheep, Appendix fifth. beer WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 365 Met. ti been obliged to abandon that opinion*. We When the gentlemen of the committee ad- anith vert finer® It is very eafy to account for the origin of this popu- y of lar opinion. Wool is not an object of attention to any per- fon in the Weft Indies; it cannot be there manufactured, a and there are no ufes to which they can apply it inits un= 1 of manufactured ftate, of courfe, the fleece of the fheep is Dain, entirely neglected, and in that ftate the wool of European ain, fheep when carried thither val not be fhorn, but will be\ fuffered to loofen from the fkin, and drop off of sitfelf,\ lave the confequence of which will be, that if there were any 1 kemps among the wool, which is very often the cafe, the thefe hairs will remain fixed in the{kin while the wool I falls off; in which ftate the animal is perfe@tly bare of wao/, 4 ated and in its ftead, the body is deen to be covered with a thin ene- coat of long coarfe ftrageling hairs only.— This fact be- hall ing feveral times obferved, is more than fufficient to give ¢ rife to an opinion, that all fheep which come from this 7) 2 country, have the wool transformed into hair, and this ten will naturally be afcribed to the influence of the climate, had though nothing can be more certain-than that the fame dart phenomenon would take place in Britain. In fat, it does take place every year in Shetland, where the prace lin tice of fheering their fheep does not prevail. So much a have for the individual fheep, that.have been fent out from this country. ait With regard to the defcendants cf thefe fheep, as the 4q Rafa i few fheep that go from this country are fuffered to run"h at large among the native fheep, they of courfe will in- i tercopulate with them, fo that the progeny will bea mon- i) beck ae ¢ i ] | 366 DISQUISITIONS ON vert to thesnumberlefs opinions that are readily admitted, without proof, as facts refpecting wool and fheep in Britain, they will not be furprifed at this opinion refpect- ing fheep in the Weft-Indies, being‘ ad- mitted. I have been in the cuftom, for i any years pat, of admitting no affertion, on fubjects of this fort, without proofs; and in fearching for proofs on this head, I have found a great number of facts, that have obliged me to abandon my formet opinion. No opinion is more univerfal in the Weft-Indies, than that the theep which are deemed the native breed of the ifland of Jamaica, carry 70 wool at all, but hair only. I had an opportunity, I think, of fending to you a{pecimen of the natural fleece of one of thofe theep,. which confifts, for the 4 lal greateft part, of wool, pernaps jer(un- erel race, approaching to the nature of the native fheep. —Thefe being once more crofled, will approach nearer ed to their nature, an{o.on, till, in a fhort time, they will ) they ) be in no refpect diftinguifhable from the native fheep.— Here, then, isa pure metamorphofis of the kind—but it is a change which has no dependance on climate.---The fame thing muft have als ned, under fimilar circum- ftances, in Siberia or Lapland, juft as-much as in Ja- miaica. 4. doubted ly WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 367 doubtedly fofter) than the beft Spanih wool. Pleafe to accept of thefe hafty notices in good part, and believe me to be, with great fincerity, Dear Sir, Your obliged humble fervant, JAMES ANDERSON. Mr. I’m. Matthews. POSTSCRIPT. Se sla er RT NN REE erceny iy 368 DISQUISITIONS ON if V ADDITIONS|: | Made to the above, in the year 1797.; f INCE the paper above was written, two 1 a S valuable animals of the wool-bearing\ Vf clafs have come to my knowledge, with d which Iwas then entirely unacquainted—| i one of thefe is the Jamaica breed of fheep, i concerning which, I have mentioned the na- 03 ture of itshair at page 326, in putting this V edition to the prefs. The fheep itfelf was I difcovered in Britain, by Sir Jofeph Banks, Bart. who favoured me with the following] account, in a letter, dated Nov.1794. Sir i. Jofeph had occafion to vifit an acquaint-|‘ ance, immediately on that gentleman's re- turn from. Jamaica, and in walking upon( the lawn, before dinner, he faw a fheep of a( very unufual appearance.—He afked what|| fort of a fheep it was, and was told it was,| one of thé native Jamaica fheep, which had Ne been put on board for live{tock, but hav- i ing had a quick paflage, its life had been| faved, Sir Jofeph, who had honoured me|| with forge communications refpeCling wool juft a=~—- seis et eo= Ere— ga a a ss SS== ed EEE eS one ns= oe ee— an oeneet as nS——— eee.——————— WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 369 juit before that, expreffed a defire to fee its wool. Wool! faid the gentleman, it car- ries no wool, but only hair.— Well, faid Sir Jofeph, let me fee the uature of its fleece, whatever it be.—On that the gentle- vo man called the fheep, which, being quite ng tame, came up to him.—He then plucked ith a lock between his finger and thumb from — the back of the fheep, and looking at it for Dp, fome time, he exclaimed, with fome degree 1a of aftonifhment—here is actually fome nis wool, and until this moment I never did vas believe that thefe fheep carried the{mallet ks, portion of wool whatever, though I have ng feen great numbers of them daily for many Sir years paft! Sir Jofeph examined it alfo, ta and fent the lock, exactly as it was e- pulled, knowing I fhould deem it a great on curiofity. The lock confifted of hair fa of the kind above defcribed, and of| hat more than an equal quantity of wool ie of a fingularly fine quality; being much\ had_finer than any Spanifh-wool I ever faw,, ‘As foft as filk.—At that time it was| about an inch long, and by the ufual {hearing time, I fuppofe it might have ate tained nearly to two inches in length 5 af Vet. I. Bb and Ab ‘ ea SS as a Te ee a a oe AN pia? ~ g70-DISQUISITIONS ON and as the hair could be eafily feparated from.the wool, feeing it is uniformly about half.an inch longer, I have no doubt but. the fleece of this animal, would be of as great value-as the beft fleeces that have been ever rearéd in this ifland; asthe wool appeared to! me to be equally foft with Vigonia wool, which frequently fells here, when clean picked, at the rate of one gui- nea per pound,—and it has thé advantage over that, in being of a pure white; fo that it admits of being dyed of any colour. I confider this breed of fheep, therefore, as a very proper object for experiment. It has been, in general, believed, that the breéd of fheep: juft now deferibed, which are found in Jamaica, are the very fame fort. with thofe in England, which have de- generated from their original ftate, in con- fequence of the influence of the climate, which is faid to convert the Englifh woo} into hair,—and it has been often ferioufly affirmed to me, by refpectable perfons, that there could be no doubt of the faét, that Enelith fheep are invariably transformed into that kind of animal after being a few months in Jamaica. I had been, how- ever, aa lour. fore, nt, 1 + the at uit vhich mate, rOWY WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS.. 371 ever, affured by Dr. Wright, who was an attentive naturalift, and had lived many yearsin Jamaica, that they were a difting breed.—But had I never heard any furmife of that fort, nor been able to account for the prevalence of that opinion in any way, the fact above ftated puts the mat- ter beyond a doubt.—No fheep that are reared in this ifland, ever carried a hair of the kind which is natural to that fheep; nor have we any wool that can admit of being compared with it, in point of fine- nefs. We have never, in fhort, feen any wool of the fame fort in this ifland; and that breed of fheep feems to be more near- ly allied to the Argali of Pallas, than to any other breed of fheep hitherto defcrib- ed. None of the breeds of fheep reared in this ifland, approach to it in the fmalleft degree. It is curious to obferve that the /ar of this animal is much coarfer, and its -wool much finer, than can be found on any of the fheep reared in Britain; fo that, by the vulgar hypothefis, it: would feem that the climate produced two effects on the fame animal at the fame time, dire¢t- ly the reverfe of each other! Bb2 The ate oy woe nn ET mee re Se wee > y — Ny 372 DISQUISITIONS ON The other valuable wool-bearing ani- mal of which I have received notice, is what has been conjectured by Dr. Ander- fos, of Madras, with much feeming pro- bability, to have been the animal which gave rife to the famous Argonautic expe- dition, as the wool of it may, in the ftriét- eft propriety, be denominated the GoLpEN Fieece. Hitherto it has been, in gene- ral, fuppofed that the epithet golden, was applied to the fleece of Colchis, merely al- legorically in allufion to“its value; but, from the{pecimen fent to me, it may be literally and truly called fuch; for I never faw any natural animal production, which fo nearly affumed the appearance of gold as that does. A bit of the fkin, about the fize of the palm of the hand, with the wool adhering to it, was brought to Dr. Anderton, by a Sepoy, who had been em- ployed in a military expedition to the northern parts of India, and all the ac- count he could give of it was, that it was part of the pillage that had been ob- tained after the overthrow of one of the chiefs in thofe regions..A part of this ' Dr. Anderfon fent to me, and it is now in my ee TRE ene ae as a) 2) WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 37 ; its colour is a bright yellow, of the co- lour of gold, and it has a glofs luftrous as filk. In length, it is about nine inches; nor is it frizzed up, like moft kinds of wool, but hangs down with a gentle wave my poffeffion. The pile is foft and fine; 9 tending to a kind of fpiral curl upon it, very much refembling the wool of the Angora goat in every refpeét, except the colour. It is evidently not dyed,—for not only is the bit of{kin to which the wool adheres of its native colour, but there is plainly perceptible, a{mall variation in the tint, between the roots and the points of the wool, the roots being rather the lighter of the two, which would not have been the cafe, if it had been dyed. In fhort, the beauty of this lock is fuch as to have attracted, in a very high degree, the admiration of all who have feen it s—and even in the prefent ftate of arts, a manu- facturer gave it as his opinion, that it was an article of fo great value, that he would purchafe it, if it could-be procured, at an exceedingly high price:—but if we look backward to thofe diftant periods, when filk was not at all known in Europe, and Bb3 when RS ee : | | TT re 374 DISQUISITIONS ON when the art of dying was but in its in- fancy, we can eafily conceive, that the value of an article of this kind would be deemed ineftimable. We have to regret that fo little is known of the animal which produces this fine fleece.—All that is as yet done, 1s, to aly certain that fuch an animal does aétually exilt; and that, of courfe, it is not beyond the bounds of pofibility to difcover it. In that enquiry, Dr. Anderfon, at Madras, 1s engaged at prefent, and no man, from the great range of his correfpondence, the univerfality of his acquaintance, and the refpectability of his character in India, is fo likely to fucceed in the difcovery of it as himfelf: Nor is any one fo likely to procure the living animal, if it fhould be difcovered. But fuch animals, if obtain- ed, ought not to be delivered up as toys to princes, or their dependants, to play with. - Since the fa& is now undeniably efta- blifhed, that there are various breeds of the fame fpecies of animals, which differ radi-. cally from each other, and preferve thefe diftiné characteriftics under every change of climate or management, whue the blood fs he t the Id be own fine 0 af ually yond In ly to ld be tain= WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. DY| I/ J Ft blood continues uncontaminated; and fince we find that thefe variations refpecting the fleece, or external coat of hair, are fo very great as has been above made evident, we have reafon to*believe, that the variations which may‘take’ place’ between‘different breeds of the fame{pecies of animal, re- {pectine‘their other qualities may’ be equally great and ftriking as thofe which regard the fleece; it therefore behoves us to advert to all the peculiarities of every different‘breed or variety of animals, with much more care than we ever yet have been accuftomed‘to. do, if we’ with to carry our improvements to the highetft degree of poflible perfeCtion.“Phis opens up a tract for enquiry, that is as yet e tirely unexplored; for, fo long as an‘idea prevailed that the different varieties of the fame{pecies of animals were merely cafual deviations from the fame paren f{tock,.thefe accidental” variations«mutt have been confidered as of a nature fo fleeting and perifhable, as not to be worth the pain of accurate inveftigation. In confequence of this mode of, reafon- ing, the real qualities of the different Bb4 kinds \ Fi Wi ae —_—— i PERE, 9 is<: 376 DISQUISITIONS ON kinds of wool and hair, produced by dif- ferent breeds of fheep, have fcarcely been at all adverted to, becaufe, where a varia- tion was perceived, it was attributed ta climate, food,&c.—and not to the nature of the breed.—Hence it was_ inferred, that under the fame temperature, and with the fame food long enough continued, all the varieties would be nearly the fame. By a fimilar mode of reafoning, we have acquired the habit of thinking the other qualities of all the varieties of any one clafs of animals are actually the fame; and that if they appear at times to differ, this is owing to the operation of accidental cir- cumftances only: of courfe, we have been equally carelefs in obferving the other qua- lities as that of the wool, fo that many of thefe peculiarities have totally efcaped our notice.—I fhall beg leave here to give fome hints refpecting thefe, merely to fet a going this{pecies of inveftigation; The /ze of animals, like the qualities of the wool, have been fuppofed accidental —That this is not the cafe, admits of clear proof. None of the creatures we rear, are{fo much under our management, or{fo univerfally a. dental f clear - feat of fo {ally Wr sa bak ee rR Na ce TE STI canon laine nen WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 373 univerfally fubjected to our obfervation, as the dog; nor are there a greater diverfity of breeds to be found in any{fpecies of creature.—In refpeét of fize, in particular, this is very remarkable, for the fmalleft Jap dog, when compared with the largeft fized maftiff, is not, perhaps, one twen- tieth part of its bulk. And that this is not owing to the fullnefs of feeding, is very evident, feeing that thefe fmall dogs are in general much better fed, and more highly pampered than thofe of the largeft| fize. Hence we are led to conclude, that there are varieties of the fame{pecies which are radically different in point of Jfize, and which cannot be made to ap- proach to each other, by any mode of management whatever, where the blood 18 unmixed. The fame thing is obfervable in other animals.‘The breed of cattle peculiar to the highlands of Scotland, may be made as fat as the Holdernefs breed; the Shet- Jand breed of horfes as the large black dray horfes in England, and the Chinefe hog as the Berkfhire pig; but no manage- ment can bring thefe fmall breeds to equal the amen eee See ee ee rT GSI 378: DISQUISITIONS ON the others, in point of fize, when equally well fed, Obferve, I do not fay, that full feeding will not raife the fize; for it 1s an undoubted faét, that every animal when well fed, will rifé to a larger fize than t well fed; but this rule“ap- plies equally to all animals, to the larger as well as the{maller, fo that if equally well or ill fed, they will ftill preferve their where it is no diftinétive fize. Different breeds of the fame{pecies vary from each other alfo in Shee to fhape. The pug-dog, the fpaniel, the greyhound, the mafliff, are all difideuithable from each other in point of fhape, by the fligh clance of the ey€; nor can any mandge- t ment tend to confound them, if the breeds are preferved unadulterated. So is the De- vonfhire, the Lancathire, the Holdernefs, the Kiloe cattle; thé Shetland; the J_a- narkfhire, the Suffolk, the Leicefter fi neep; the Swedifh, the‘Holftein, the Spanith, the Arabian horfes; each of which can be recognifed by a glance of the eye, when compared with the others; and they are all equally permanent. Different WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 379 Different breeds vary from each other alfo, to an aftonifhing degree, in refpect to their propenfity to increafe in corpu- lency by abundant feeding. Mo art can ever bring the grey-hound to be as full of flefh, as a breed of lap-dogs(I believe they are called fhock-dogs,) which have a propenfity to fatten more than any es Lceanae ae—— SIN others;—and, it is not a little remarkable, that fome of the leaneft kind of dogs, eat the moft food of any, in proportion to their fize. It has been often remarked, 4 | & that a grey-hound is the moft voracious of all dogs, and that a maftiff, in propor- tion to its fize, eats very little, though’ it may very eafily be fattened.‘The blood- Be Pr horfe and the alderney-cow, can never be made fo fat as many other varieties of their{pecies. Theie obfervatious lead to very impor- ewer tant conclufions, to the farmer; for if fuch naan —— oe remarkable diverfities be occafioned mere- - ly by the dreed, it behoves him to be ex- ceedingly attentive to this article, and to inveftigate, with the moft careful impar- tiality, the peculiarities which effentially difcriminate one breed from another; to confider 380 DISQUISITIONS ON confider each peculiarity of every breed, individually and feparately, and not to blend them in the grofs, as has hitherto been done. It would lead me much far- ther, than I at prefent choofe to go, were I to enter minutely into this fubje@—my object is not at prefent to teach others, but merely to put them into a train of in- {tructing themfelves; and, with that view, I fhall merely glance at a few other cir- cumftances, before I put an end.to this Efiay. It is not the abundance of food, that will produce a large breed of animals in any place, though the want of foad will every where ftint them in fize. Hence we are not to conclude, that wherever a {mall breed of any domeftic animal pre- vails, it muft be a poor barren country.— If the animals be fat, it isa proof they have abundance of food, whatever be their fize—thouch if they be thin, it is not a. proof that they are in want of food. The Shetland poney is of a fize as{mall as that of the ifland of Tiree; but the frft. is a plump ftrong-made animal, that is almoft continually fat, the laft isa thin puny é 1 ee 2 ae eae ate eke ISG OE Ghote: Hascmtion see een meee coer eae ee WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 381 tt puny creature, that looks always ftarved, (0 though its native food is richer. In like nt manner, the Alderney-cow is a hard-bon- at ed, hungry, ftarved-like creature, when: ere even on the beft of grafs. The Kiloe is| ny not much higher in ftature, but it is a q Ts, burly looking creature, compared with\: In- the other, and has a tendency to fatten| W, kindly wherever it has food enough. The ig If firft is a native of a fine climate and good Ls foil; the laft is found in an ungenial re-} gion, and very unfertile country.| rat From thefe confiderations, it will ap- i in pear, that feveral of the queftions which i] nil! have been keenly agitated among warm ie difputants, for many years paft, do not ad- i) 4 mit of a folution in the way they have‘ .. contended for. One party, for example, . maintains that it is more advantageous to| ss rear large than{mall beafts; and, in con- 5 3 firmation, he produces a faét, by which it ff fal appears, that in that particular cafe, the i ‘he large beafts were, in truth, the moft pro-{ ‘ fitable of the two. Another, on the con- ft trary, maintains, that{mall beafts are uni-: ; verfally more profitable than large, and| A ftatesa faét, which proves clearly, that. ol A the i | 4 \ 4 382 DISQUISITIONS ON| the fmall breed was indeed more benefi- cial than the large. They may be both right as to the particular: facts alleged,| and both wrong as to the general conclu- fion. Jt is not the fize, but the other pe- culiarities of the individual breeds that influence this queftion; feeing two breeds, of equal fize, may poffefs properties ex- —— tremely diffimilar. It 1s, therefore, ja eroundlef{s prejudice, either to approve or to condemn a particular breed, from ad<* verting to its fize only; of courfe, we ought to reject none from the particular invettigation of its qualities, above recom- mended. For this reafon, the Mufk ox, of Hudfon’s Bay, which is rather{mall; the Bifon of Louifiana, which is of a larger fize, and ftrong, both of which fatten kindly; the Alderney-cow, which is alfo{mall, but valuable on account of its milk; and the Arnee, of Hindoftan, which is by far the largeft of the cattle-tribe yet; known, fhould each of them have their refpective peculiarities diftin@ly afcer-—-( tained.: Of all the animals of the Bos tribe, the Arnee’ is, doubtlefs, the largeft yet known; Pe SSeS ae 7-= Wap Be: ty 52 Ci Sh~ Mogi WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 383 known; and although. largenefs of-fize be not in itfelf.a quality‘chat ought to re- commend an animal to favour; Agusan where it is to be{uffered to graze upon the meadows, where the en a weight of the creature may be fometimes Hoe ful; yet, there may arife occafions, in which great bodily{trength may be of fingular utility: and as it is poffible to feed Gee always in the houfe, fhould the ani- mal be in other refpects defirable, the da- mage that might be done by its weight in pafturing, may be thus entirely avoid- ed. This creature, when tamed, is gen- tle, and very fufceptible of being trained to any purpofe that may be wanted; but, with its other qualities, we are very little acquainted. It is known in the higher parts of India, where it is ufed as a beaft of parade, nearly in the fame manner as the Elephant, to which, in point of fize, it more nearly approaches, than, perhaps, any other animal, that is yet known to us, as I chanced accidentally, to gather from the following incident: Mr. William Haig, while firft lieute- nant, on board the Hawkefbery Eaft In- diaman, A I ee a a erin Sa —<—— +] ( ERLE| —ooertte i a —.—— etn ee a TT Oe i— SS EEE 384 DISQUISITIONS ON diaman, then in the river of Ganges, about fifty miles below Calcutta, obferved an animal in the river, alive, but floating towards the fea, carried down by the cur- rent; a boat was immediately put off, and the creature fecured by means of a rope thrown over its horns, and towed towards the fhip. They were furprized at the largenefs of the fize of the animal; and being juft come into the river, from Europe, it was accounted a glorious prize, and inftantly flaughtered for the fake of freth provifions. It was found to be a bullock of only two years old, yet when cut up, the four quarters weighed full_ 1450 pounds. From this datum we can-~ not fuppofe, that a beaft of this kind, of full ftature, and completely fatted, would weigh lefs than 4500 pounds; for we know that a lean bullock, of two years old, will not amount to one-third part of the weight that the fame animal would have attained at nine years of age, when fully fatted; and as this creature muft, in all probability, have been carried down the river for, perhaps, a thoufand miles, before it was catched(none of thefe cattle, that I have 4 WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 535 I have heard of being bred, lower than Plaily) we mutt fuppofe that. it. would be very much emaciated; yet all on board the ihip thought it excellent eat ue. As the head, eo fkin, entrails, and tallow, of a fatted animal, w eigh very little 1 than the four quarters, we fhall fee rea- fon to believe that fome of thefe, when alive, may be found, which will not be lefs than from 8o to go cwt. upwards of four ton w eight! fo that it muft be a very ftatély creature They are{aid to be fometimes fee or twelve fect in h reight. _ The horn’ of this breed of cattle grow right upwards, nearly in the fame plane with the face. At firtt they{pread out- ward, but as the creature grows older, they gradually bend inward, till at laf they form nearly a uel of a large fize. J faw an Indian painti: g, in the poffeffion of Gilbert Innes, efq. of Stow, in Edin- burgh, reprefenting a fight between an elephant and two tigers; a kind of enter- taiment, fometimes given by the gran- déeszof India.“for the. amutément of the public. In this painting many people were prefent; fome elephants were there alfo, under the care of attendants, and Won, il. Cc three = Se a ee Se EIN, \ \\ lin Rs: — 2 AO a ED 386 DISQUISITIONS ON three of thefe cattle were there feen alfo, ftanding quietly, under the charge of their keepers, who were mounted upon them, nearly as the cornac is upon an elephant; nor were they reprefented as much, if at all, inferior in fize to that monftrous ani- mal.—The colour was uniformly black, except a tuft of red, or rather flame-co- loured hair, pretty long, on the top of the. forehead, exaétly between the horns. It was guided by a rein faftened to the griftle between the noftrils. It is therefore plainly a domefticated animal, and its ap- pearance is of the moft gentle and inoffen- five kind.: The Bifon, or, as it is commonly called, the Buffaloe of Loufiana, is alfo a beat of a large fize, and great bodily ftrength, and has a propenfity to fatten kindly.| It was not known that it could be very eafily domefticated till of late; but I find, among other peculiarities refpecting this creature, mentioned in the Seventh Volume of the - Bath Society papers, written by a Mr. Turnbull, a very fingular and eaty method of catching them, which appears to be well known to the inhabitants of the back fet- tlements seeeeres << —— = 7‘| oe ae SN- ILO OP TE Oe re. ea ee . me a.% ———$. a ims NY CH alfo, of their 1 them, ephant; h, if at US anls ‘black, Me=C0» D of the ns, lt rerefore d its ap- ‘jnoffen- ycalled, a beaft rrength, dly.. It TY eafily 4, among creature, ne of the yy a Me uy method If be wel hack. fete tlements WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS.* 387 tlements in America, who often go out to hunt the Buffaloe. He{tates, that if a female who has a fucking calf at her foot, chances to be killed, the calf never leaves its dam even when the hunter comes up, but ftands quietly by, and follows the body of its mother wherever it is carried, were: it even into the heart of a city; and as the ~ calf is eafily tamed when once got into hand, it feems to be often reared, in the back fettlements asa domeftic animal. The writer of that paperdoes not there{pecify any of its other qualities, but its{trength alone, which, he fays,is much greater than that of the European ox, and_ its{tep longer, on which account he{trongly re- commends it as a beaft of draught. The Zebu breed of cattle has been alfo imported into this country, I find, from India, by feveral gentlemen, and is found to thrive here, and to breed perfectly well, fo that it is probable, its qualities will come in time to be accurately afcertained. In regard to one particular, both thefe breeds poflefs a peculiarity, that is well known to be totally diftinG from any of the breeds of cattle that are natives of this country. The ee 2 pecuharity - EE be . nn~ eel | | 388 DISQUISITIONS ON peculiarity which diftinguifhes the Bifon from other varieties of the Bos tribe, is a large hump upon the fhoulder, which when cut up, is found to afford a flefh that is of a quality totally diftinét from that of any other part of the body, and is univerfally efteemed much more delicate eating. The Zebu is alfo diftinguifhed from other creatures of the fame genus, by a particular kind of excrefcence, that rifes from the fhoulder alfo, but in a manner totally different from that of the Bifon; and the quality of the flefth of this excrefcence(which is of a confiderable fize) is different from any meat furnifhed by our cattle, and differs alfo from that of the Bifon. This is deemed fuch a peculiar delicacy, that I have often heard gentlemen who have been ufed to it in India, fay, they found all the meat in this country, harfh to their palate, fo that they could with difficulty bring themfelves to eat of it. It is not impoffible but the meat in the other parts of the body may alfo difter confiderably from our’s, and from each other. The{kin alfo of thefe animals may be found, upon‘trial, to be poffeffed of properties that may render it highly va- luable ————S 7~= ee ) caer: a- See ee$< 5 es—: Sc Sate eee eae te ¥ 7 Biz. I SSS ar WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 389 Bion aoe alarye luable in manufactures; particularly that en‘th of the Arnee, which is probably, in many sofa re{pects, different from that of the{maller vother|” animals of the fame genus. It is certain, sid that the Indians make of the fkin of the Zebu Bifon, manufactured in their manner, a kind| ea of leather, that is foft, tough, and Very,| ind cf light, of which they form a kind of jer- ij an kin, or a fhield, perfectly capable of re-| oulder a. z-| per fifting the force of an arrow. Whether ;‘ie this quality depends upon the nature of the| a{kin, or on the mode of manufacturing it, ql nar remains to be afcertained. i ay Ifhall juft add one other hint refpecting i all varieties of animals of the fame{pecies, came with a view to lead to an inveftigation, pe that never has yet, that I know of, been | to; the fubjeét of elucidation. We have feen n this above, that different varieties of the fame t they{pecies poffefs certain permdnent and ves. to diftiné peculiarities, that cannot be altered ne meat but by an intermixture of blood. Thofe jay all- peculiarities that I have taken notice of om each above, refpect chiefly external cttcumftances, animals which are very obvious to the fenfes.— felled of There are other peculiarities, however, of nly va- a more obfcure nature, if I may be allowed lyable Ce. 2 to “ Pe ye A EIS To eget 3 RT 390 DISQUISITIONS ON to adopt that expreffion, which, though equally ufeful, are not fo eafily afcertained by fenfible marks which admit of accurate comparative trial, but which are ftill eafily recognifed, when you take two breeds that differ very much from each other.— Of this nature, is what is called hardinefs, or perfevering firmnefs under fatigue, often called /pirit—as contraited to that fluggifh want of mental and mufcular. exertion, which is called /oftnefs in horfes; the bleod-horfe, for example, and fome other noted breeds of active horfes, compared with the large black dray-horfe. Of ana- ture equally obfcure, though I am fatisfied too equally diftinét from each other, is the tafte and flavour of the flefh of different breeds of the fame kind of animal, though this circumftance does not feem as yet ever to have attracted the public attention in- the fmalleft degree. Every perfon knows, however, that'there is an exceedingly great difference between the delicacy of the meat he eats at different times; but as it is well known that the flavour of meat may be affected by circumftances that are totally unconnected with‘the breed, fuch as, in fome 4 ——_ N thoush rtained Ccurate ] eafly ferent hough et ever ton 10 knows, ly great he meat ris wel may be e rotally 48, 10 {ome WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS. 391 fome kind of animals, the age at which they have been killed, or the nature of the food upon which they have been fed, or the time the meat has been kept after it has been flaughtered; and as no pains is, in general, taken to difcriminate how far either of thefe circumftances have tended to ope- rate in the particular cafe in queftion, each individual feels himfelf, in general, difpofed hattily to conclude, that the particular cir- cumf{tance which he chances to have fixed upon as obnoxious, or the reverfe, has oc- cafioned the good or the bad flavour he perceives. Is his mutton peculiarly delicate ~—-one man immediately concludes, it muft have been fed upon heath, which gives it the high flavour.«If bad, it has been fed upon turnips; or it is, perhaps, the age— or the fize—or any other circumftance that may chance to operate upon his imagination at the time—but he feldom thinks of afcer- taining with the neceffary degree of preci- fion, whether this be the fac ornot. I myfelf know, for a certainty, that I have heard things of this nature repeatedly men- tioned as facts that were inconteftible, which I knew at the time to be totally dif- Cc4 ferent eee ty \ | | Levee ES —-7 a Tame ae Oper a ss = To Ti Se 392 DISQUISITIONS ON ferent from. what was afferted,.when_ it would have been very idle; or very rude in me to have contefted it: neither have I myfelf had opportunities of afcertaining the fact referrable to this head with the necef- fary precifion to be able, to lay down any rules that can be relied upon. My obferva- tions go no farther than to furnifh me with treafons for doubting; but they have been long enough continued to authorize me to fugge{t hints for farther inveftigation.. In fhort,. I have feen reafon to be fatisfied that, independant of age, and food, and every other circumftance which tends to affect| the tafte of meat, there-is a. flavour pecu- liar to: the meat of every difting& breed of domeftic animals that are reared in this ifland, which can only be changed by blood. I do not fay that this favour cannot be al- tered by the circumftances above ftated;— far from it—-for I know that the alteration that may be’ produced by thefe means is always very great. What I mean is fimply this; that under the fame circumftances re- {pecting age, food, and every, other parti- cular, the flavour of the meat of two dik tinct breeds will be different, in mott cafes. I In WOOL-BEARING ANIMALS.«393 In regard to mutton, I fhall beg leave to {pecify the.true Welth breed, and the new Leicefterfhire, as the greateft contraft to each other that I know:—The firft I con» ceive to be by much the fineft flavoured mutton I have feen, and the laft the loweft. —The difference is to me nearly as great as between a golden pippin, and an ordi nary apple. Whether this difference of flavour depends upon the breed or the feed, may. be afcertained by very eafy experi- ment. Let any gentleman who has a convenient inclofure, buy a fcore of lambs of one year old, of each kind; let them be turned together into as rich a pafture as you pleafe, and let the two beft of each kind be always chofen at the fame time, when wanted, and then flaughtered, and treated in every refpect alike, till the whole fhall be confumed, as tHey advance in years. Two of the fame age will thus always be compared together; if no difference in the flavour be then perceived, I am. clearly in a miftake-——Many other good confequences, befides that here ftated, would refult from this experiment, if conducted with 394 DISQUISITIONS, G&e, with accuracy, and faithfully recorded; Bn, it would coft nothing. IT fhall juft add, that I have reafon to fufpect that the delicacy of flavour is by no means neceffarily conne¢ted with the Aze of the breed; for though, in this inftance, it fhould be found that the{malleft is pre- ferable, I have no doubt but that in other trials it would be found that the reverfe would be the cafe. APPENDIX. et A TT A acer ae pe_——————————————————— SS Paes bay TS ao,:-: ger rrp opment ny mera AP PEN DI Xs AP PN ee oe: pT N/ZUS, who is juftly celebrated for his knowledge in the different branches of Natural Hiftory, gave the firft hint for beginning the following fet of ufeful experiments in rural economy, which were afterwards profecuted by fome of his pupils, and publithed in the Amenitates Academica, under the title of the Swedifo Pan. ‘The defign of this truly valuable fet of experiments was, to af{certain which of all the plants common in Sweden were eaten, and which of them were refufed by the five moft valuable domeftic animals— oxen, cattle, horfes, fheep, and fwine— that it might ferve as a direGtion to the rural improver, in the choice of plants proper to be cultivated by him for any particular purpofe; as alfo to enable him to: know what fpecies of animals it would be Se ee APE E MD I X.| be moft profitable for him to allow to be fed with the produce of any field, in its natural ftate. Mr. Stillingfleet tranflated into Englith the Introduétion to this fet of experi- ments; but he omitted the experiments themfelves, on account of the difficulty of making ordinary readers know the plants by the names that were given them. I am not fatisfied that this reafon is fufficient to prevent a tranflation-of this | fet of experiments from being of fome ufe even to the Englith reader, as few. | perfons are unacquainted with many of, - the plants by their Englifh names; and as | there are fewer ftill, who have the{mal- ||; left{pirit of enterprife, who may not have : an opportunity of getting the particulars | about which they may be in doubt, ex-| plained by fome of their acquaintance,| if they really are defirous of it. On this account, I have chofen to pub- lifh the experiments themfelves, having fubjoined the Englith names given to the feveral plants, taken from Hudfon’s Flora Anglica; to fome of which, I have added fuch a ASR: ei 1X: 399 fuch vulgar names as have come"to my own knowledge. I have likewife been tempted to under- gl take this, in fome meafure, with a view fe to excite a defire of attaining an adequate “nits knowledge of botany, among philofophic y of farmers, who would reap many benefits ants from a competent proficiency in this {cience. N18. The utility of this branch of{cience, this will appear plainly from the perufal of the ome following fet of experiments.. For, with- few out its aid, it would have been impoffible of for any inhabitant of Britain to be ida benefitted by any of the fa¢ts contained mal- in them; as it would not have been aye poflible for them to know, with cer- fie tainty, any one plant mentioned through oe the whole of thefe numerous experi- nee, ments; whereas, it is now eafy to know, with the utmoft certainty, every herb that ie occurs. fg Thofe who view botany in this light— ae who confider it as a neceflary ftep of that ; i ladder by which they may be enabled to af attain ufeful knowledge, will look down es: with equal contempt on thofe who reft fatisfied Sta ee 400 A PrPoEVNeD 1X: fatisfied with being able to name every plant that may occur to them, and confi- der this as the ultimate ufe and end of this fcience; as of thofe who, with a faf- tidious pride of mind, defpife this pur- {uit, as mean and ignoble, and glory in their ignorance of a fcience they think unworthy of the attention of men who are bufied in purfuits of things of real utility. It is, indeed, no more, at beft, than a vocabulary, and although it be poffible for one to learn all the words of a voca- bulary, without attaining any knowledge of the language; yet, it is impoffible for a{tranger to that language tO. attain a knowledge of it, without firft retaining in his memory the words of which it con- fits; which he will beft attain by the aid of that vocabulary.: The{cience the botanift ought to with to attain, is the Luowledge of plants—The feveral fyftems of botany that have been- invented, pretend to do no more than to clafs thefe plants in fuch a manner, as to facilitate the attainment of their names: —It is, therefore, of the greateft import- ance, with -The been yan{0 5 a{0 ames. m por(7 ance, aP rene 1s, 4.0% ance, asa mean of attaining knowledge; tut as an ultimate end, it is, perhaps, the moft trifling purfuit that can occupy the mind of man. ~A man who values himfelf for his know- ledge in this mere fyftem of claffification, without aiming to make it of any other ufe, exactly refembles him who{fhould glory in being able to repeat with facility all the words of any unknown language.— If the mere botanift adds any thing new, he may be of fome ufe to others by abridg- ing their labour, but muft be confidered as the verieft dunce of a drudge that ever exifted. His life is{pent in the arduous purfuit of a fhadow, inftead ofa reality. Linneus, although he has done more to affift others in attaining the names of plants with certainty and facility, than perhaps any other man, feems to view the f{cience in its proper light; as he has endeavoured to extend the views of his pu- pils to the defire of difcovering fuch plants as are poffeffed with qualities that may be of ufe to mankind. The following fet of experiments is one fatisfactory proof of Vor. I. Dd this; i, Peon DEX this; and many others might be produced, were this. a propet place for it. We have reafon to regret, that other eminent Naturalifts, who live in other parts. of the world, have fo feldom followed his example in this refpeGt. And it ought to cover them with fhame, when they re- fle@, that under the influence of this fingle man, the fmall and inconfiderable kingdom of Sweden fhould have produced a greater number of really valuable experiments on the ufes of plants, and other natural bodies, within thefe few years, than perhaps all Europe befides; although the attain- ment of knowledge there is much more difficult than in many other places; and Pp 3 although it is next to impoffible for the moft fuccefsful experimenter to publifh his difcoveries to the world, without al- moft a certainty of lofing by the publi- cation.: The following Experiments were pub- lifhed by Nicolas Hafielereen, in the year 1760,—who, after having mentioned the firft hint for this purpofe that was given by Linneus, in the Relation of his Journey to Dalicarlia, anno 1743, and taking notice 5 that oe A PEEN ets 403 Odneed 2 a: ee that his difciple Profeffor Kalm, in imitd- | tion of him, mentioned fome of the p plants ° si that cattle ate or tefufed, which he had oc- other eafion toremark ina journey he made to allowed Bahus, he adds,-— t ought‘ 4 Anne sat and 1748, our Prefident hey tes{Linnzus) undertook, with great diligence, IS fingle not only to make experiments a(@ cingdom to excite his difciples and auditors to ¢+ i greater the fame; of which I was one. ae,|| ents of laft many experiments were made, and re-\ i} natural peated, efpecially by D- D. Hagftrom,;: perhaps Mag. E. G. Liidbeck, E. Ekelund, J. G. e attains Wahlbom, L. Monti, He /Olbdets; Jct ch more Forfkahl, A. Fornander, not to mention es: and others who have ftrove as it were to outdo' for the one another in finding the ee which publith were moft fuitable for different animals.” i a al. When{hall Britain be able to produce i se nasitll fuch a fraternity,, emuloufly. contending‘ ; who fhall moft promote fuch another fet at of ufeful experiments? ere plus:: 1 othe Byst this means, they were enabled to “ee Ri produce above two,thoufand certain expe- tioned 4: C 4 te riments, fome of which were repeated, he aati: aflures us, ten’.times over, and fome of them-twice as often. oan Ddz2 The ‘ a ij & Sg: neo See aa eae Sf EES i a a een ime a— AO4 APPENDIX. The plants were chofen when the leaves were in perfection, and were handled as little as poffible before they were given to the different animals. They were offered to thefe animals when their bellies were pretty full; and every poflible caution was taken‘to obtain a perfec knowledge: of what they voluntarily ate, and what they | rejected. a It is not, however, to be doubted, that, fhould the fame experiments be repeated by others, the refult might differ in many inftances.—Some individual animals are much nicer in their tafte than others, zatu- rally;— others, from Aabit, may be in- duced to eat with pleafure many plants that they would have at firft refufed. From i, which circumftance, the refult of the fame xperiment, tried at different times, on is different animals, might vary. Neverthelefs, it may, in general, be al- lowed as an undoubted fact, that whatever plant has, in any of thefe experiments, been eaten by any clafs ofanimals, will in general be eaten by other animals of the fame clafs, if proper means are ufed for inducing thofe 4 that On Was led Je of shat they ay be ine slants that 1, From ‘the fame times, 01 “A PPEN-DIX. 405 that are fhy at art to tafte it, and hee acquainted with it. But itis by no means certain, that al- though all the animals of one clafs have refufed a particular plant, other animals of the fame fort will on no occafion be in- duced to eat of it. I fhall have occafion to take notice of feveral inftances of*this fort that have come to my own knowledge, which fhall be fubjoined, by way of Notes, to the Table of Experiments. In the Table that follows, the Latin generic name of the plant is firft given in Roman characters, after which follows the name of the{pecies in Jta/ics—which is fucceeded by the Englifh name, taken from Hiudfon’s Flora Anglia. The following letters indicate the dura- tion of the different plants:—A fignifies an annual plant; B, a biennial; P, a perennial; T fignifies a tree or fhrub; and the numbers I. IJ. III.&c. fhow the times of their flowering, vzz. I. January, II. Fe- bruary, II. March,&c.; The five columns on the right hand ferve to denote the five domeftic animals, to which the plants have been offered, Dd'3 The a 5 aS RE I pe APPENDIX. a The firt marked O. oxen—the fecond G.| goats—the third Sh. /heep—the fourth H. horfes—and the fifth Sw. fwme. The marks in thefe columns oppofite to the name of eve ry plant, fhow whether that| plant was eaten or refufed by the animals exprefled in each column.—By the mark ~(Fy denoted that the plant was eaten; by the mark(0) that it was refufed; and by both of thefe(10) or(01) that it was fometimes eaten and fometimes refufed: The letter(n) denotes that it was not tried with the particular animal in whofe column it is placed, although there is no explanation of this in the original work. The Swedifh Naturalift arranged the plants according to the order they hold in the Flora Suecica of Linneus.—I! have thought it better to alter that arrangement toone which I imagine is better adapted to the ufe of the farmer,—and which is divided into claffes, according to the number of animals that eat each plant. 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TA d‘open yoru0-C-& 1 | t Ch) 0&:0°-0 O70 6 0.00 07 O50 Ce wn re) pd te ” APPEND I% 444 ‘usy3 Suowe Ajyaoou yBnosqy dors sOLUNJOtUVOF st-qt“SJuetd aquyezed syj0+ Wim paxrur Ajazoq puw 4jewy stat se yng‘so10yo ysnoayy siqi sqea Jeturue ou aaataq T—‘punois dy} 0} azo7o UOT Av SayesS afqenpva s10U 12yI0 ay} aT A‘sjouyues jo aouvivadde ayy noyjim Guenmxny aeodde pay ydozun UUs saavay ayy“[nguneaq avadde pue‘payono} jou are siamoy. YY L—"Uoneasggqo ayeinsovut woz spaasoid yoy fSosmyed auy spsoye‘spunoge jurd sryy your ur pray eB yeyy.‘paurseur AyUOUIWOD St jJ—Ajreq+ ‘spod Sunos ay} qva oyje Ady T—"a.1e9 yytaa YO yord Ady yorym‘woyorq ay3 Jo KpraaS aav Aay} Inq=—f Ja}UT UT sit} yes sawjamoy dssyg—utooig ee O.@ 6 oO OF sus----“info wanruopyays gfg So Ue 0.+0°-- d“Uloj-pauioy 10‘pax1og—-3puoniguajdof wandvyo19y LEg OU) 6(6°*~ d“ey-vapieus uommog= ssauvuogat4 wintuotdjy fo UU 60..u--° ILA‘TA d 710/jrmu-soyem peytdg—angvardf wnqdydouApy SE 9 OO" oO fs=~-----— Sstuyfngod eyed ¥Eq U0 0.0 0~----+°XI— TT d‘Arep uowm0s= sszuuauad sijaq fq U 30) 0 07-6---=° ILA&‘4i/1qs-uoyog,—wniq4yuvzw umnpiodoug, z£g UO. Oo. oe--*IA A L wooiq voumog=-unzsvdoxf wayredg if MSH US DO qe eee AP Pe i De 44s oots Coo.)=- O9t= os 2- OIL“ ZoS= 2- 602>= 2£6z“ [HOLL QYOT page| ‘srvodde 31‘o[qey, SutoSo10y oy} worg 2 e W = squoHT a dasys s}805) WYEL | J | mn-—~ ene——— COO- 6 eS pti aie eee i a ee® | c -=“ad oe na si—— =_== al cc see, ial} se'N j | a. EP EONS Ds 447 INDEX NOMINUM LATINORUY, [N.B. The Figures refer to the Numbers in the foregoing Table,} A Achillea- Aconitum- Acorus Acrofticum Actea~ Adoxa~ A gopodium fEthufa- Agrimonia A{t Agroftemma Acroftis- o Aira= Ajuga Alchemilla- Alifma Allium~ Alopecurus- Alfine= Alyffum Anagallis Anchufa Andromeda Androface Anemone Angelica- Anthemis« Ww = 4{7 No. 402 13357132 497, 625 621 EY 496 568 = oe 187 = 492 = 735 I 50——155 8—12 ~ 410 164, 165 566 394—396 146, 147 221 47% = 45 486—488 = 471 499-503 183, 184. 44 Qm—-4 51 Anthericum 477—479 Anthoxanthum- 6 Anthyllis- QI Apium--- ¥94 Aquilegia- 498 Arabis- 587 reo 7s eS 432 Arinaria== 575—578 Arnica- 298 Artemifia 433—437 Arundo- 345 35 Afarum- 579 Afclepias- 557 Afparagus- 397 Afperugo= 45 Afperula- 40, 41 Afplenium- 636 itetge,, a 447 Alftragalus~ go Athamanta- 389 Antriplex 337—340 Avena- ZI— 32 B Ballota-- 629 Bartfia~ 526 Bellis(0= Ha 63% Berberis- 401 ser A PP EDT x. Betonica- No. 582 Betula- 319—321 Bidens.“== 528, 529 Braties<= 207, 200 Briza-. 20 Bromus- 22427 Bryonia~ boi Bunias~ 589 Butomus- 623 C Calendula- 453 Calla- 634 Caltha~=.§1a Campanula I7I—I74 Cardamine+ 424, 425 Carduus- 124-129 Carex= 308—318 Carlina- 545 Carpinus~ 324 Carum a x 192 Centaurea 133—-135 Ceraftium 4904.92 Cherophyllum 1g0, 19! Chelidonium:= 638 Chenopodium 379-+388 Chicorium Chryfofplenium Cicuta= Circea“ Ciftus= Clinopodium Cnicus“ Cochlearia 584, 585, 62g Comarum'- 250 Conium aie 2 Sor Convallaria 51, 398—4¢e0 Convolvulus 168, 16g Cornus=e Vol 02 Corylus“ 602 Crambe- 79 Crategus= 245, 246 Crepis~ 291 Cucubalus= 226, 227 Cufcuta ss 106 Cynofurus=._ 21, 22 Cypripedium 4. 599 D Dactylis= 23 Daphne- 484 Datura~ 615 Daucus a 179 Delphinium=, fos Dentaria i 630 Dianthus~ 2232.25 Diapenfia‘a 614 Draba>..= 265, 266 Dryas= 624 E Echium as 470 Elymus“ 357 Empetrum~ 603 Epilobium 207—«210 Equifetum 342—34.6 Erica~ PUTS 212 yan ane anita RE a Erigeron Eriophorum Ervum eS fryfimum EKuonymus Eupatorium Euphorbia Kuphrafia 5 ord. Pracaria a oie F raxinus F’umaria Galeopfis ASP? RE No. 594, 595 403—465 103, 104 273—276 - 163 = 599° 405—407 75> 70—263; 264 373 23—30 591-4503 Bs 67 = 341 426, 427 2 ie Galium 42, 43, 156—1 59 Geranium Geum x Glaux‘A Glechoma Gnaphalium is tedera Heracleum Werniaria Hieracium af VOL: I, s 89 5585 559 - 80—387 250, 251 556 Leonurus- 255 i 516 Lepidium=- 420, got 438—440 Ligufticum: 182 Liguittua,- 347 Linnea 527 = 475 Linum- 196 - 49 Lithofpermum 365, 366 - 378 Lolium- 466, 467 284290 Lonicera= 3745 375 Gg INE AD ee Xe 44.9 No. 331 Hippuris- 547 Hordeum- 358 Hottonia-«- 554 Humulus- 136 Hyofcyamus$n oS 428-—430 283 I; Hippophze Hypericum Hypochzeris~ Impatiens aay$69 Inula= 443-446. Iris- 550. ny [fatis~ 586%# Juncus- 199—205 Juniperus- 336, ib Lamium S1Q——525 Lapfana- 292 Laferpitium- 48 Lathrea- 416 Lathyrus- g5—098 Ledum- 572 Leontodon<= 281, 282 phe aga, A PPE ND LX Lotus- No. 107 Lychni--(246 Lycopfis> 167 Lycopus~= 458 Lyfimachia 371—373 Lythrum- 242 M Malva*- 2.7 Jmmn2,80 Marrubium- 628 Matricaria- 299, 300 Mediéago:- 14, 115 Melampyrum 258—~262 “Melica ss- 148, 149 Mentha=- A412, 413 Mercurialis= 335 Mefpilus. 59 Milium= 7 Montia ue= ae OOF Myagarum’- 78 Myofotis 553, 612, 613 Myrica= 39 Myriophyllum- 635 N INardus- 142 Nepeta- 581 Nymphea-. 494, 495 Sia) AG @enanthe~- 562, 563 Ononis=. 96, 517 Onopordum- 632 Ophrys- 535 Orchis No.§3I—534 Origanum- All Orniothogalum 197, 198 Orobus- 92—94. Oxalis- 2.347 P Papaver- 403, 404 Paris- 485 Parnaffia- 391 Pedicularis 522—525 Phalaris—- 143) 144 Phellandrium— 301 85 Phleum- 145 Pimpinella- 50 Pinguicula 04—606 Pinus“ 5375$35 Pifum,- 10S, 100 Plantago.- 359-364 9 Poa. 3—IC Polemonium aS 190 Polygala~ 8. Do]; Polygonum 217—222,622 Polypodium- 542—544 Populus- 332—334 Potamogeton 461, 608— 611 Potentilla~- 68—73 Prenanthes- 12% Primula- 368, 369 Prunella- 256 Prunus«>- 242, 244 Pulmonaria- 367 Pyrola©-—=571 (0: iia bd net ae LS Dn Yo le aint ~m APPENDIX. 451 Pyrus No. 57; 58 Querciig. 2.“>. 228 R Ranunculus 504—510, 626 Rhamnus- 376, 377 441, 442 Rhaphanus- 988 Serratula-- 299-2996 Rhinanthus- 415- 160 Rhodiola= 541 Silene- 228230 Ribes- 175—178 Sinapis-- 2.69 Rofa= 60,61 Sifymbrium~~ 270-—~272 Rubus- 62—66 Sium-- 390 Rumex 52, 53, 480—483 Solanum- 474,618 Solidago- 130 S Sonchus- r18—120 Sagina: 552 Sorbus- 56 Sagittaria- 457- 455,456 Salicornia—- 546 Spartium= 931 Salvia J 459° Spergula oe VT Salix- 325-330-Spirea_-+ 247, 248 Salfola 2 619 Stachys c. 25 P75 51S Sambucus- 564,620‘Statice- 395 393 Sanguiforba- 44 Stellaria~- 232, 233 Sanicula E 476- 580 Saponaria~ 573 Symphy tum= 460 Satyrium’- 597, 598 ee pecs Saxifraga|- 574: Scabiofa—- 37-39 Tanacetum- 530 Scandix.- 188, 189 Bend< 549 Schegnus= 55! Teucrium~§12 G22 aie Es a———— Scirpus No, 137——147 Scorzonera- 122 Scrophularia- 583 Scutellaria- 257. Sedum~ 238—241 Selinum~ 180, 181 Scleranthus- 489 Sempervivum~- 493 Senecio.— =—_— Secret he A 452 AP oa Thalictrum No. 74 Thlafpi 77, 418, 419 Thymus- 513, 514 Tilia-- 253 Tordylium- 560 Tormentilla—- 249 ‘Tragopogon+ a Trientalis- 206 Trifolium- 108—113 Triglochin- 54,55 Triticum= 36 Trollius= 409 ‘Tulipa-- 565 Turritis- 422, 423 Tufflago-. 296, 297. ‘Typha 7=.060 IND laxXy U Ulmus. No. 47 V Vaccinium- 213—216 Valeriana- 460—462 Verbafcum 473, 616, 617 Verbena- 549 Veronica 15, 348—356 Viburnum- 195 Vicia- 9g—102 Violas- 301—307 x Xanthium” 536 Z Zottera is 45 a PEP PEN D1 Xe as Ad ? g INDEX to rue ENGLISH NAMES. [N.B. The Figures refer to the Numbers in the foregoing Table.| A Aconite=. Now#o7 Agrimony 492, 528, 529 Alder- 277 All-heal‘ 518 Alkanet= 366 All-good- 379 ll feed- 388 Aloe~ 580 Androface- 471 Angelica- 183, 184 Anemone 4995 503 Archangel 519, 520 Arrowhead- 457 Arrow-headed-grafs| 54 Arfmart§ 217,218, 622 Afarabacca- 579 Ath-tree“a 50; 241 Aih-weed- 193 Afparagus- 397 Afphodel- 478 Apple-tree= S618 Avens 251, 252, 62 bg Bane-berries- 496 Barberry- 40 Bafil Beach-tree Non323 Beam-tree- 245 Bellflower Lis 178 Bent-grafs 150—155 Berry-bearing alder 376, ed Jf Betony= 943545502 Bilberries 213—216 Bindweed 168, 169, 221 Birch-tree 319—321 Birdcherry- 243 Birdsfoot trefoil: 107 Birds’-neft~ 17g Biftort- 219 Bitter-crefles- 425 Bitter-fweet=) 474 Blite- 380—388 Bottles- 4135 Bramble= 63-—66 Brank- 2.22 Bryonia. 601 Brome-grafs 24—27 Brook-lime~ 351 Broom~ 2 631 Buckthorn 331, 376 Buck-wheat=- 222 Buglofs 46, 167, 367, 470 Bullruth- 139 G ¢ 32 oo 454 Burdock No. 432,§36 Burnet. 44, 50 Bur- 2G}, 432 Bur-reedy=* 255; 4356 Bufh-vetch 100, 10% Butter-cups 509,§10 Butter-wort 604, 606 Cc Cabbage= 267 Calamus aromaticus 621 Cammock“ 1i7 Camomile- 450 Campions”- 226,227 Canary-grafs 143, 144 Canterbury-bells 174 Waiex::- 308—318 Carline-thiftle-, 545 Carraways- 192 Carrot~ 179 Cat-mint- 581 Cats-tail-~- 945, 600 Caich-fy- 228—230 Centory- Charlock.- Cheefe-renning Cherry- Chervil 10) 4 gs Chickling-vetch bea ed 4 ee (hickweed 3, 200, 2 Cinquefoil No. 68-73, 250 Ciftus’- 254, 486, 572 Clar- 459 Cleavers- 42 Clot-bur~ 432 Cloud-berries= 66 Clown’s all-heal 518 Clover=.“108, 109 Club-rufh’-- 140,141 Cockle- 235 Cocks-comb- 415 Cock’s-foot grafs 22 Colt’s-foot- 296 Columbine- 498 Colwort- 79 Comfrey- 469 Cornwall-lilly 398 Coralwort~ 630 Cornel-tree TOI, 162 Corn-fallad= 462 Cotton-grafs- 462 Cotton-thiftle 6% 32 Couch-grafs- 26 YL J Cows-lungwort 616 Py narini Cow-parfnip- 49 Cow-quakes- 20 Cow-weed 190, 191 Cow-wheat 2.58 Crane-berries= 21 Granes’-bill--.- 80=—87 Crefles 1 ees ea Pei ; f f f Rep Poe Crow-foot 506—5 10, 626 Cuckow-flower 236, 424 Cudweed 438—440, 592 Currant-tree ne O PSs ko Cyperus-grafs 1372-141 D Daify- 448, 633 Dandelion 5 281 Dane-wort= 620 Darnel-zrafs nee] Dead-nettle F Kr 466, 407 519)§20 Devil’s-bit 39, 282 Devil’s-guts 221.66 Dewberry= 64. Dittander- 420 Dock~ 481, 482 Dodder- 166 Dogberry-tree 161, 162 Dog’s-crafs:- Dog’s-mefcury- 3: Dog’s-tail grafs 21, 2 Dropwort 247, 562, 563 Dwarf-elder= 620 Dyer’s-weed= 89 E Elder-tree 1095, 592, 620 Elecampane 445, 446 F.]m-tree- 47 Enchanter’s nightfhade 548 Everlafting-peas 95—098 NED MA assy Eyebright No.75, 76, 262, 2.64, 526 Fellwort zs 55 Fern= 637 Fefcue-grafs- 28—30 Feverfew 2.992 300 Figwort z 583 Eir-free.= 5375 628 Five-leaved grafs 70 Flag~ 62% Flax= 196 Fleabane 443, 4445 5949 595 F lewellin- 349 Flaxweed~ 272 Flower-de-luce)- 550 Flowering-rufh 623 Fool’s-parfley- 187 Fool-ftones- 531 140, 147 Frefh-water foldier 580 Fox-tail-grafs Frog-fatyrion- 597 Fumitory 426, 427 G Bat é 539 Garlic~ 396 Gentian- 558 Germander 3515 352 Gilly-flower- 303 | | if i Gladiole No. 623 Glafs wort- 619 Globe-flower- 409 Goat’s-beard-~ 123 Golden-lungwort 289 Golden-faxifrage 567 Golden-rod- 130 Gold of pleafure- 78 Goldilocks- 506 Goofefoot 381, 382 Goofe-grafs 31, 42, 43, 46 Goofe-tongue- 132 Gout-weed- 193 Grafswrack- Aah Grafs of Parnaffius 391 Grafs, arrow-headed 54 bent I5O0—155 brome- 24—24 canary 143, 144 cat’s- tail meadow T45 cock’s-foot- 9 2 cotton- 463 couch- 36 cyperus 137—-I41 darnel. 466, 467 dog’ s= 36 dog’ s-tail 21,22 fifiue- 8-30 five-leaved 70 fox-tail 146, 147 £00fe 31, 42, 43, 46 hair= 6—J2 456 AvP Pee IN=D: 1 ae Grafs, knot. No. 220, 489 me= 4357 matt-{42 meadow 13-10 melic- 148, 149 millet- 7 oat- Bul be B24 qguacking oe) quick- 36 reed<= 3Ag a5 We 467 fcorpion- 612 spiked fea.)'~= 55 Suffolk- 15 vernal- 6 wall-barley 358 wheat- 36 J whitlhw 265, 266 Greenwood- 89 Gromwell- 365 Ground-ivy~.516 Groundfel- 441 H Hair-orals.> 8-19 Hawkweed 283-290 Hawtree~ 246 Hazel-tree~ 602 Heath-- 211 212 Hedge-nettle—- 517 Hell weed- 166 Hemloc 185, 186, 188, : 961 Bi itn ENS a eee a Hemp- No. 414 Hemp agrimony 528, 529 295 59° Henbane~ 555 Henbit- ooh 27 Herb Chriftopher 496 Gerard- 193 Paris- 485 Robert= 86 High taper= 616 Honeyfuckle.. 2745 3 Hop-plant- 13 Hore-hound 458, 627,628 Horn-beam= 224 9 tail 24A2—24 6 Sa OT, Hound’s tongue A5 Houfe-leek 2 492 x + Jacob’s-ladder 170 Jack by the hedge 276 Jerufalem fage 207 Juniper- 33 Ivy= A755 K Kidney-vetch- 9gI Knap-weed 133-135 Knawel- 489 Knot-grafs 2.20, 489 * Knoutsberries- 66 Lambs-lettuce..-~4 Lark{pur~ 408 Lavender z 393 Lettuce- 121, 462 Lime-tree- oe Ling~= 2EE Liquorice= go Live-long= 2.38 S fees FE Sea LAVEel wort i 499 Loofe-ftrife 242, 371, 372 Loufewort+ 522—525 Lungwort- 289, 616 Lvme-or2fs oo cy Lyine gtais 357 iy nr 4g Madder’-- 157, 160 Ma ese Viaadw ort== 40 ee; Maiden-hair Se 2G Mallow- 277-—280 Mapple-.-, 402 Mares-tale- 547 Marjoram~ 41T Marygold- 453, 51% Matfellon 133, 134. 458 AsP ok: : Matt-grafs- No. 142 May-weed- 449 Meadow-grafs- 13—19 pinks="- 23¢ rue- 4, {weet- 248 Medick-- PEA I Us Mediar- a 56 Melic-grafs- 148, 149 Melilot mio ee RS Mercury- 379 Mezereon- 454 Millfoil=- eae ie Millet-grafs- ai Milk-wort- 88,556 Mint- A112, 413 Money-wort a ue Moor-berries- 216 Mofchatel- 568 Mofs-berries- 216 +} Mother of thyme- 513 Motherwort min 2 55 Mounrtain-afh= BO Moufe-ear 285,286, 612 Mugwort- 422 Mullein- 473,616, 617 Mufard(273, 418, 419, 422,423 bY, yrrh on a“190 N A bs) 1e) 7) { & On (oe) I i Be ee Navew= No. 268: q Nettle- 414, 517-—520 3 Nightfhade 474, 548, 618 V Nipplewort- 292 i| O| Oak-tree= 322 Oat- ga=. J3 S35 6. De ae Fe i eis 337-339 383 i Orchis 531-5345 5973 598 r Orpine tae ee Ox-eye~ 448,451! Panfies- 2—-“S<- 307 q Parfley 182, 187, 389,560;| Parfnip- 49, 390: Bae owes=~ 500‘ aul’s-betony+ 354 q ST ort- 552| Pear-tree- 57 Peas 2—98, 105, 106| Penny-crefs- 418 4 Pepper-. 240,622: Pepperwort= Re AeO| Pimpernell- 370,472 Pink- 22.35 22'5 Plantain 359,°364, 566| Polypody-§42—s44. Pondweed' 468, 608,611 Poplar wi. 95% 334 ae ge —ET— ee Ar Pee N DT XxX: 459 Poppy- No. 403, 4 04 Primrofe- 368, 369 Pryet’ Bs 347 Purging-flax- 196 Purflane- 340 Q Quacking-grafs- 20 Quicken-= 56 Quick in the hand 596 R Raddihh- 270, 629 Ragwort- 442 Ramfon- 394. Ranunculus 504-510 Rafpberry- 62 Rattle- 415 Rawn-tree- 56 Red= 455,450 re rele. gr 345 35 Reft harrow, 116, 117 Ribwort- 361 Robert herb= 86 Rocket= 275, 589 f Rofe- 60, 61 Rofemary- 486, 572 Rofewort 541 Rue~- 7 Rupture-wort 2 378 Ruth No. 139—r141, 199 —205, 404, 623 —— erals é 551 Rye-grafs. 4674 Sage== 367 Saitwort- 546, 556 Samphire 6 546 Sanicle 476, 604—606 Satyrion- 597 Sauce-alone-) 246 Saw-wort- 20932095 Saxifrage- 567, 574 burnet- 50 Scabious- 37—39 Scorpion-grafs. 612, 61 Scorzonera-= 122 Cliryveorate Scurvy-grafs 684, 585 Sea-colewort~ 79 peas~ 106 Self~hea- 2506 Singree- 4 ee oe Shepherds-purfe~ 17 Sickle-wort- 410 Silver-weed“ 69 Simpfon= A4I Sloé-tree~ 244 Smallage- 194. Snake-weed=- 21g oneeze=wort= 432 460 AP Ee Solomon’s feal No. 399, 400 Sorrel’§2,.535.227, 483 Southernwood- 434 Sowbane- 82 thiftle 118—120 Speedwell 1—5, 349— 356 Spider-wort-“504 Spiked fea-grafs-+55 Spindle-tree= 163 Spurge- 40§5—408 Spurrey<- 234, 548 Star of Bethlehem— 197, 198 starwort~ 447 St John’s wort 429, 430 St Peter’s wort.«= 428 Stitchwort- 2: 3 stone crop)-.2390—241 ——— parfley= 389 Strawberry= 67 Succory~ 431 Suffolk-grafs= is Swee-{melling flag 621 T Vanfey- 69, 530 ALE«(= 07, 103, G4. Thiftle 118—120, 295, 63 Thorn-- 246 Thorny apple 615 ‘Fhrift 2= 2@O2 "TT hroatwort- 173 Wee PX ‘Toothwort No. 416 Tormentil- 249 Touch me not- 596 ‘Tower muttard 422, 423 Treacle wormfeed 274 Trefoil True love- 485 1O7—-1135 115 Tuberofe mofchatel 568 Bes. ae Tulip- 565 ‘Tutfan- 430 Tway blade 535 Vv Valerian 170, 460, 461 Vernal grafs- 6 Vervain~ 549 Vetch- 91, g8—102 VY? Ey Oe V etchling- 97 Violet Z01—306, 554 Viper’s buglofs- 440 Wall barley-orafs 355 / Cc YJ Wallwort- 620 W ater-aloe- 580 dropwort 562 crow-foot 626 elder=. 195 gladiole*- 623 ' germander 512 hemloc 185, 186 lily- 494, 495 parfnip-° 390 pepper.= 622 APR. E Water pimpernel No. 370 raddifh- 270 = Mollet.= 554 Way bennet+ 358 thiftle 295 Wheat-grafs= 30 White-thorn=- 246 Whitlow-grafs 265, 266 Whortleberries 214, 215 Wild cicely- 190 lettuce~ 121 Willow 242, 3@5—329, 539 ——— herb 207210, 242, 257 Williams~ 2.36 N 4) 1X 46t Winter-crefles No. 245 green 206, 569 Le N oad- 586 Wood bine= 374. peas a ia7 O2——-O4. roof- 40 forrel me ee waxen= POG Wormwood 436, 437 Wrack- 454. N'¢ Yarr. 234 Yarrow- 13T Yew-tree~. 549 NB. GEN ER ALIN DEX. The Roman Letiers refer to the Volume, and the Arabic to the Page. ACCIDENT AL varieties among animals, the permanency of, H.. 3 Acorns, make fine bacon, II. 71. Age of animals, what the moft proper for fattening them, Cle Pier 4s Agriculture(Board of) their account of Mr. Elkington’s mode of draining, I. 205.—-Remarks on, 226. Alder, its ufe in fencing, I. 96. Angelica, eaten by cattle, I. 54. Angora goat, Il. 272. Animals(domeftic) what kinds can he moft sconces kept on the fame far ne Dia ition concerning, I]. 265. Jariety recommended, and why, 266.—Dutch experi- ment concerning, Different kinds might be profit. ably introduced into‘ee country, that are not yet known in it, 270. ee:(exotic) a propofal for an inftitution for obtaining a collection of, IT. 280. Anta, an American animal, IT. a7 Dee a breed of woollefs fheep there, II. 335. Ants, proper method of f deftroying, II. 193. n Aebor fit relating to calcareous matters confidered as a nure, Aph. 1ft, 1. 560.—2d, 440.—3d, 442.—4th, 449. ce Apples, a food for horfes in America, 11. so—and for hogs, Il. 70, ates{e= hn gear ee Tt in fecuring the banks of rivers, 1. 4 Ps 4, AAGUGLIC j Moya! wre 4 7 AI AIA, = Ss= ens aor ag AOL ge—— a —— =a 2 454 USE leg) Oa ON a ae Arabia, a particular kind of food for their horfes there, ide! Arnee of Hindoftan, defcribed, II. 382.—The largeft animal yet known, next to the elephant, is very gentle and eafily tamed, 384. Artificial graffes, why fo called, I. 176,—Artificial paftures may be formed, ae ich fhall cal natural, 180. Aurigmal, an American animal, II. 277. B Bakewell(Mr.) his plan of feie&ting breeds of animals ap- proved of, IT, 353. Balfam poplar, its value asa fence, I. 1o2. Banks of rivers, bee to fecure them from being wafhed away, by the violence of the ftream, I. 119.—Examples of its efficacy, I. 127. Bear(polar) peculiarity of its hair, IT. 327. n. ‘Bee, fingular forefight of that infe&t, 79.—Why it cannot be reared with fo much profit in Britain as in continental countries, If.$1. Beets, tops and roats, food for cattle, II. ro. pa&> Bent gra/s(fine) a bad kind of grafs, not liked either by horfes or cattle, Ii. 226.| ————-(the{mail) appears on fpungy unmanured foils, II. 294.—Grows in foils that hawel! 10t been limed, c28. 34 Bezoar-goat_ Golconda, II. 27 : ol Bifon, remarkably traétable, II. 2a Bifon oF eoniihania, carries a fleece of woolly hair, IT. 345— tir aaa 387.—Its nu, ay ees pop[a are hs 4 VA, Ne May ve eafily tamed ee. great ? flefh very delicate, 388. Board of Agriculture, fingular remarks by, I. ae Bogs, zeneral appearance of the{trata below them, when they are to be draiz Ed, 2. 249¢ Bo-nefs, coals dug under the fea there, I. 212; , 35 Borders of fields, caution concerning the plants all owed to grow in them, If. 18x. Botany, the ftudy of, ee to farmers, II. 398. Bouquetin of the Alps,| JDK 273. Branches of a tree, their ufe, I. 58. n. Breeds ns i a ae z en— t 2No Pp Ex, 465 Breeds of domettic animals, what, II. 117.—They ean only be altéred by intercopulation, 119.—Moft remarkable breeds of horfes, 125.—Of cattle, 128—peculiarities with regard to them, that may be of ufe to be attendéd to, 130. f- Bd —Of fheep. 133. Breeds of domeltic animals may be improved in any diftrid,| by proper attention and care, II. 155.—Nature of the paf- ture does not preclude improvement, 158. Breed, its permanency of qualities among animals, II. 350. Breeds of animals differ greatly from each other, and retain thefe peculiarities, in fpite of changes with regard to food, climate,&c. exemplified in refpect to fize, IT. 376—to fhape, 3 78—to a propentity to fatten, 379.—Conclufions re- fulting from this fact, of great importance, 379. Buffaloe, 11.278. See Bifon. Bulling-gra/s, what, Il. 58. Burnet, retains its verdure in winter, but yields a fcanty pro- duce,‘Il. 44. Putier, ww winter, very fine, made from the milk of cows thaf had been fed on bruited whins, If. 38.; f Butter, an eafy method of improving it, II. 62. n, Butier-flewer, not eaten by cows, II. 68. Ge. Cabbages, a winter food for cattle, II. 38. Calcarecus earths, what, 1. 397. Galcareous matters of all kinds, ufeful as manures, I. 49:—A@& as manures when in a mild ftate, 491.—Mr. Duhamel’s ex- periment concerning, 4g1.—General aphorifms concern. ing their operation, 560.—Calcareous matiers do not alone ferve for nourifhing plants, 571.—Act as power- fully as a manure, on poor, as rich foils, 575.—Promote the growth of wheat, II. 303—and of barley, more than oats, 303. Cadcination, the eafieft method of reducing lime-ftone tf» powder for a manure, I. so5.—It diminifhes the weight of it, lowers the expence of carriage, 506. Calves, an economical method of rearing, IT. 62. n. Caribou of America, the Rhen-deer of Europe, if. 278. n. Carraway plant, food for cattle, I1..12. Carrots, food for horfes, II. 11.—¢1. Vou. H. Hh Caftration 466 to NED Es. Caftration of animals, its effect, II. 105. Caitle, how they may beft be brought to tafte any unaccufton:. ed kind of food, II. 22. n. —— peculiarities of different breeds of, II. 128. ~~ breeds of that carry hair only, II. 344—Long wary hair, 344.—Soft woolly fleece, 345.—Long hair and foft wool, 345- Cauftic calcareous earth, what, I. 409. has a conftant tendency to abforb its air, and become mild, I. 409. Chalk, how diftinguifhed from other calcareous matters, J. 40%; (artificial) how to make it,[-445..m ——, its properties as a manure confidered, I. 533.—The {ame intrinfically with lime as a manure,§35-—In what manner it ought to be applied, 538.—Circum- ances that fhould influence the farmer in the choice of lime or chalk asa manure, 539. Chalk lime affords as hard mortar a$ that from the beft lime- ftone, 1. 468—and is in general more poweriul as a ma- nure, 472-} Chamois goat of the Alps, II. 273. Cheefe, difquifitions concerning, II. 67. Cheftauts, a food for horfes in Portugal, IT. 50. Chickweed, good for making cows give much milk, IT. 60 Chittigong cow peculiarized, II. 346. Gla/s of plants fit for pafturage, L432: Clays(ftiff) how to be drained, 1. 243. Clay foils(damp) a particular cafe deferibed, I. 254.—This cafe accounted for, 257.—Direclions given how to drain it, and make it a rich foil, 2 59.—Great extent of this evil, 273. Climate, its effeéts on plants and animals, difquifitions con- cerning, If. 72. Clipping hedges, direCtions fori. 05. Clover(broad) more proper for a green food than for hay, II. 25.—Not fo proper for pafturage as cutting, 39.—Lafts three years, 47. Clover(red perennial) loves only a firm foil, II. 288. Clover(white Dutch) thrives on a firm foil, Il. 288. Coals dug from under the fea. te 313. Cock sfoot= bo Nis Ree Ba& 467 Cocksfoot-gra/s(American) II. 227.—A ftrong coarfe grafs that promifes to thrive on mofly foils, 227. Cock’s-tail gra/s, requires a{fpungy foil, II. 292.—Not en- couraged by lime, If. 294. if) Cold, degree of, not neceflarily conneéted with the degree of oft latitude, II. 75. » why plants are killed in Britain, and outlive a much greater degree of cold in Ruffia and other countries, II. 84. me Comparative value of dikes and hedges, I. 3. Compounding different kinds of food for animals, its effeéts—= 15, Diiquifition concerning, II. 99. Condiments, if they can be employed with a good effect on animals—Difquifition concerning, IT. 101.—Salt probably The ufeful as fuch, 102. In Coping for dikes, the moft proper kind, I. 12. ume Corals and Corallines, J. 402.| ad Coronilla. See Milkwort.: P Coronilla corniculata, a valuable food for beafts, II. 228. mes=e fs. aoe eS& — Coronilla varica, recommended for experiment, IT. 242. Couch-grafs, Il. 48. the growth of it promoted by foot, II. 302. Cragg, acalcareous manure, I. 556. Culmiferous graffes, difquifition concerning them, as greer: fy food, or as hay, for cattie, 11. 27.,— A particular obferva« tion on the growth of thefe plants, 29.—Diftinguifhed into claffes, 221. n. Currying of animals, if ufeful, enquiries concerning, II. 104. \‘ i Curfory bints on the moft beneficial method of recover ng low —This Jand from the fea, I. 191. We Cytifus, hay made of it by the Romans, II. 16. ply 27) D CO:: fe Dams, of weirs, on running waters, how to make, I. 1go9. Dandelion, fheep fond of it, 1]. 13.—Affects the tafte of milk, a fingular.example of, 64. for hil:: hl Dates, a food for horfes in Arabia, II. so. ay Derby, a fingular well there defcribed, I. 307. Correétions of 331.—Inferences important to be drawn from this cafe, 333. Deep ditches, never neceflary where tapping can be of any fers ).. i vice,’ Is 267. Deepening the foil, ufe of in draining, I. 261. ich| Hh 2 Dikes, ;. ——_-~_ as SS SS a ae a——= — 463 io Ne ee BM Dikes, what, I. 3. —— dry-ftone, of, I. 4. ——— feal or earthert, of, I. 7. Dire@ions for knowing where water may be funk under the furface,'I. 324. how! to make mill-dams, or weirs on rivers, at little expence, 1. 159. e how to make a new kind of cheap, durable, and firm fence for rich lands, I. 102. Difquifitions, doubts, and.queries relating toagriculture, II. 1. Divifion of a farm—Obfervations on,[. 154. Dogs, varieties of, that carry wool, I]. 337. Dog’s-tail grafs(crefted) confidered as a green w inter paf-| ture, I]. 42.—Yields a fcanty crop, 225. Doffe(Mr.) his receipt for making mortar,[. 438. n. 447. 2 Dove, the river of, runs under ground, I, 324. Draining were grounds—Mr. Elkington’s mode of, explained, 205. eed —~-——— remarks on ditto, 206—226. ——.— The author’s directions for, 232. ———-— Firft cafe illuftrated, 234. g—=-— Second-cale, 23,7. ——-— Third cafe, tapping, 241 »——-— Fourthcafe, damp clays, 254—257« ——--— Fifth cafe, illuftrations, 277.: et ee rth ealese yo E: —-=& Seventh cafe, 292. ——--— Highth. cale,-298- —--—-— Ninth cafe, Sheernefs, 302. i Tenth cate, Derby, 304. w--—-— Eleventh cafe, Newcaftle, 314. _..— Twelfth cafe, frefh-water lake,&c. 320. iE. S| Earthen dikes, manner of conitructing, I. 7. i Earth nut, II. 48. -Eglantine,‘its ufe in fencing, iT. a fe T Gu Si. : ——-— method of propagating it, I. rs. —-.——-—~ ufeful in fupplying gaps in an old hedge, I. 70. Elkington 5 oe i PN ED er Xx. 6 409 Ekington(Mr.) his invention for draining land difputed, T.201. ——-— his mode of draining explained, I. 205. Enquiry concerning plants that may be more or lefs proper for food to domeftic animals when green or dry, II. 23. Experience teaches animals to choofe or reje& certain kinds of food as wholefome, or the reverfe, in many cafes where in- {tinct fails, If. 6.:n. Expofed fituation, how to rear a hedge in, I. 48. Everlafting pea, roots of, food for animals, II. 14. F. Fallow, more beneficial to a foil that has been limed, than to one that never has had any calcareous manure, I. 529. farmer, difficulties he has to encounter in a barren and incle- ment country, in comparifon of one where agriculture has been carried to a greater degree of perfection,&c. 11, 187. n. Impropriety of fending a young farmer to an improved country to learn the practice of farming, 189. n, Feal, what,[. 6. Feal dives, manner of confiructing, I. 7. Feather gra/s, grows in foils that has not been limed, I. 528. Fell groom. See Coronilla. Fences and inclofures, a general eflay concerning, LI. 3- Fence, an ufeful one defcribed, J. 76. n. —— for bleaching greens, a particular kind of one defcribed Lene; —-— how to make one of a new kind for rich land, cheap and ftrong, I. 1o2. 9 Fencing, of the proper. method of doing it, where running water is the boundary of a field, I. 149. Fens, how to raife into found dry land, I. 197. Fefcue(purple) a valuable pafture-grals, II. 202.—Great length of its leaves, 204.— Differcnce between its natural and cultivated ftate, 205.—Fit alfo for hay, 206.—lIts ge- nerative power greateft while young, 206. n, w——(f{heep’s) recommended to obfervation as a green win- ter food, Il. 40.—in its cultivated fate, 206.—Soil it de- lights in, 209.—A particular experiment on it, tending to fhow in what manner the quantity of produce from this clafs of p'ants may be greatly augmented, 31, lal h 3 Firs a 458 Yee De oe ss et) Fir-tree, the branches of, a wholefome food for cattle. If. 17. 1; Fie/s of animals, how its tafte is affeted by particular kinds of food, I, 71. Floating flat ground with water, how it may be beneficially done, I. 138—145. Fog, loves a fpungy foil, II. 291. Food of animals, if it can be improved by any. particular pre- parations, difquifitions concerning, II. 95.—Examples of turze, ftraw, oats, g6—turnips, g7—beans, hay, potatoes, g8—farinaceous grains, 99- Food that fattens animals, fometimes renders them unwhole- fome, II. 52.| Form of a country, in what manner it may affeét the nature of the articles it produces, If. 87. Foxtail-gra/s(bulbous) I. 218,—Delights in foft mofly foils, 219. Frofted lime, what is meant by that phrafe, I. 419. Fur, animals producing, improved by a cold climate, exam- pies of, UJ 74,—Uoubted, 74. 0. Furze, fee Whins. G. Generative faculty of animals, if it can be promoted, II. 57. Geranium, eaten by cattle, IT. 54. Geftation, females difpoied to fatten during the time of, II. 105. Glafgow, a lake near, drained for agricultural purpofes, I. 319, Goats, a particular breed in Portugal, that give much milk, Il. 170.--Goat of Angora, 171, 272.—Ditto of Thibet, called Touz, 272-——The Bezoar, 273.-—Chamois, 273. Goats that carry wool, II. 338. Golden fleete, defcribed, II. 372.—The animal which affords it not yet known, 374. Graffes(fibrous-rooted) often fcorched up in a warm climate, and why, IT. 94. Grafs-grounds, impolicy of prohibiting it to be broken up, » 1. 272. Grafs fields ought not to be in all cafes prevented from being broken up, Lf. 184. Grafs lnc 1 Ns Deak 471 Grafs-feeds, on the moft proper method of fowing them, Tf. 371.—Some writers advife, that grafs feeds fhould be fown without grain, I. 371.-—The author, from experience, con- demns that praétice, 372.—Reafons why, 372.—Method of fowing grafs-feeds where the ground is too rich to carry a crop of corn, 374.--Autumnal fowing of grafs-feeds condemned, 375.—Different kinds of grain with which grafs-feeds may be properly fown, 37;.—Circumftances of importance to make the grafs-feeds germinate well, 376. —Rich clean ground recommended for grafs-feeds, 377. —The farmer will be more abundantly repaid by a dreff- ing for grafs-feeds, than almoft any other crop, 378. Grafes, difquifitions concerning, IJ. 194.—Rye-grafs, its va- luable and hurtful peculiarities, 199.—-Purple-fefcue, 202. Sheeps-fefcue, 206.—Soft grafs, creeping, 216.-Foxtail- grafs, 218.—Timothy-grafs, 219.—Great meadow-grals, 220.—Creeping meadow-grafs, 221.—Common meadow- grafs, 222.—Vernal-grafs, 224.—Dogs’-tail-grafs, 225.— Bent-grafs, fine, 226.—Cock’s-foot-grafs, American, 227. Gravel, lime-ftone, confidered as a manure, I. 559. Gypfum, how to difcover it among lime, I. 576. Guadiana river of, finks into the earth, I. 323. Et: Hair, how may be diftinguifhed from wool, I. 321.—Hairs have always a determinate fhape, 325.—Stichel-hair or kemps particularized, 26. n.—Hair of the Jamaica fheep peculiar, 326.—Ditto of the mufk animal, very fingular, 327. n.—Ditto of the polar bear, difpofed tn tufts, 327. n. " Haile,in Germany, a falt-fpring obtained by tapping, I. 310. Haugh, what, I. 129. n. Hay-making, an Effay on, I. 378.—A particular method of do- ing it defcribed, that has been long practiced by the Au- thor, with fuccefs, 380.—Advantages that attend this mode of making hay, 382.— Hay much damaged bya very flight degree of moifture, 384.—Cautions to be obferved in this method of winning hay, 385.—It is in a particular man- ner recommended to thofe who intend to fave rye-grafs- feed, 387. Health of an mals(domeftic) Difquifitions concerning, IT. 49. Heat, the changes it produces on wool of fheep, diftinguifhed from the change occafioned by an alteration in the breed of fheep, II. 144. v. Hh 4 Heat Sia Ee 472 i Np:°R*x, . Heat produces a@ temporary change on wool-bearing animals, I]. 343.—Accelerates the fattening of fome animals, 349. Heath, a growth of it difcouraged by the ufe of lime as a manure,|. 400.—II. 74. Hedges of white-thorn, moft eligible method of planting, I. 19, —Choice of a foil for a nurfery of, 20.—Direétions for managing the plants while there, 25.—Rules for choofing plants of, 37.—Proper fize of plants of, I. 38.—Proper feafon for planting, 40.—Of trimming the plants before planting, 42.—Direétions for planting, 44.—Directions for the manner of planting in a very expofed fituation, 48. -——Of the ufe of the eglantine in planting, 51.—Of attend- ing to a hedge the firft year after planting, 54.—Direc- tions for pruning and clipping hedges, 55.—How to re- coyer a{tinged hedge, 66.—Of plafhing, 68.—To prevent the twigs of a hedge from being killed, in winter, 71.— Of lopping full-grown hedges, 77.—Of ornamental plants in hedging, 78.—Of the willow in. fencing, 82.--Of the Lombardy-poplar in ditto, go.—Of the quick-beam or Yawn-tree in ditto, g5.—Of the alder in ditto g6.— Of furze in ditto. g7.—OFf the balfam-poplar in ditto, 102. A particular kind of fence for orchards, 116. Hide-bound foils, what,:and how to be cured, J. 262. Fogs, different breeds of, II. 171. that carry wool, II. 340.= Hollow-drains, ineffectual for draining damp clays, I. 259: Honey/uckle, an ornamental plant in hedges, I.$1. 5 le. recommended to notice as a food for domeftic ani- mals, II. 22.—- Varieties of, 22. n. See + 5 Horn-/havings, on fome foils a valuable manure, and on others of very little ufe, Il. 305. Horfes, moft remarkable breeds of, II. 12¢.—Barbe, Ara- bian, Danith, Friefland, Neapolitan, Perfian, Englith, 1255<£26. Hungry-foils, what, and how to be cured, I. 263. Hybrid animals, propofal for increafing the varieties ef, II. 281. 1 Jamaica freep, an account of, II. 368—carries a very coarfe and peculiar kind of hair, and very fine wool, 369.—Is a peculiar breed of fheep, and not the European fheep : changed Fos We De he 473 changeft by climate, 370.—More nearly refembles the fargali, than any other breed of fheep, 371. Adiofyncracy, what, II. 7. n. Implements of hufoandry, a caution againit ufing a great variety x Of 1-396 Inclofures and ferites, an Effay concerning, 1. 1, n. Inflindt of animals, not faficient to indicate wholefome or poi- fonous kinds of food, II. 6. n. Invigorating, or fattening qualities of different plants, dif- quifition concerning, II. 4g. ERE sim by $s Tlands,{prings in, inferences to be drawn from it, 1. 354, Fumare, an animal of the Hybrid tribe, qualities of, IT, 282. tvy, its ufe in covering dykes, I. 14. i als 2 i K Kalmia(the broad-leayed) poifonous to horfes and cattle, but not to goats or deer, II. 53. Kemps, what, II. 143. Knot-grafs, I. 48. © | L Laburnum, recommended to notice as a food for domettic ani- mals, II. 18.—Varieties of, 20. n. ) Ladtes-fingers, See Coronilla, Lakes, may be drained by making the water fink downwards [. 320.—Direétions for this, 327. Lama, might be introduced into Europe, II. 78. —-— and-Guanacoe, II. 78.—274. Land, how-to recover from the fea, I, Igl. Languard fort, well in, 1. 320. Large animals, an enquiry whether they, or fmaller, are. moft eafily nourifhed in proportion to their fize,&c. II. 150-~ 370—379- Levelling high ridges, how beft performed, I. 341. Levelling by the plough, difficulty attending, 1. 342.—A new method of levelling by the fpade and plough defcribed, as it has been fuccefstully praétifed by the author, 345.—A calculation of the expence of levelling by this method, 353—not one-fourth of that of doing it by the plough, and i Some SS AT4 Ley Nie De Bee Xe and in other refpe@s infinitely more advantageous 38 5. Another lefs perfeét method of performing this operation defcribed, 358. Licks in America, what, II. 102. Lime, ats as manure merely in confequence of being mixed with the foil in fubffance, I. 514.—Calcination in no other refpeét of ufe, but for reducing it to@ fine powder, 537.—— It fhould not be allowed to run into clods, 518.—it may be fafely ufed in very large quantities, 520.—it never in- jures the foil but from improper management, s25—lt produces a permanent change on the nature of the foil, 526.—It defirdys heath, 528.— Encourages the growth of peas, 528. If. 300,—Falls to the bottom of the foil, and how, I. 529.—Deep ploughing improper for newly limed ground,§31- ——, riles for choofing that which is moft propet as a ma- nure, I, 505, 506.—Promotes the growth of rye-grafs, IL. 303—-and of wheat, 303.—Proportion of it that can be diflolved in water, 1. 420.—Directions how to pre- vent it from hurting men or horfes who work among it, 570—and for analyfing it, 572. Lime-fione, how it 1s diftinguifhed from marble and other calcareous bodies, I. 399.—How to afcertain its qualities, 509.—Hard ditto not more powerful as a manure than that which is foft, 518.—Different kinds lofe different pro- portions of weight in calcination, 405.—When deprived of its fixed air, becomes a faline body, 408. cee imperfeétly calcined, improper for mortar, I. 451. — Proportion of{and contained in different kinds of, 452. —Jmpure. lime-ftone eafily vitrified. 453.—Impure kinds form the beft mortar, 453.—Hard itone does not atiord better cement than chalk-lime, 513. Lime-ftone-gravel, its effects, confidered as a manure, I.§s9. Lime-cement of the ancients, its nature confidered, J. 435.— Its uncommon degree of hardnefs accounted for, 436.— M. Loriot’s conjectures on that head confidered, 437.—= The account of it given by Piiny and Vitruvius, 404, Lime-water, how formed, I. 411. Lincolnfhire Jheep, a mongrel race, II. 332. Lincolnfhire /heep, Meece of, weighing 25lb. IL. 146: Live feock, ftri€tures on the rules that have been adopted for feleciing them, II. 354. Lombardy poplar, how it may be employed as a fence, I. ga. ongevity of glants, difquifitions concerning, I’. 46. Loofe-frrife, rasta esas+ 5D a Fee Ne op i Oe 473 Loofe-frife, eaten by cattle, II.§4. Lopping hedges, how it fhould be practifed, I. 71. Loriot(M.) bis account of the ancient lime-cement,€xamin- ed and refuted, I. 437, 449, 465. Lofs that the farmer fuftains from levelling high ridges, I. 345: Low-fields, how to fecure them from extraneous water falling from higher ground, I. 134.—How to free them from, water that rifes from fprings within them, 136.—-Direc- tions for floating them at pleafure, 138. Lower part of wet ground, tapping there the moft effeCual, I. 209. Low Land, how to recover from the fea, I. rgr. * Lucerne, more proper for a green food to animals, than as a dry fodder, ii. 26.—Not fo proper for pafturage as for cutting, 29.—A fhrubby plant, if not cut young, 19— Its roots, difquifitions concerning their nutritive power, as food for animals, 14.—Its longevity, 47.—A: plant pe- culiarly calculated for a warm climate, 93.— oes rot admit of being fo eafily cultivated in cold regions, and why, 93- M. Machinery may be moved by means of tapping, I. 322. Madagafgar eep, carry no wool, IT. 333. Manures that tend to enrich certain kinds of foils, but do, not promote the fetoity of others.— Difquitition concerning, II. 299. that promote the growth of particular plants in an unufual degree— Difquifition concerning, II. 299. Marble, what, 1. 400.—Lotes more of its weight in calcina- tion than chalk, and why, 405.—How produced, 412. Marle, its properties as a manure confidered, I. 541.—Earthy f? PEOP. 154 d foflile marles, varieties of, 542.—Always contain clay, 543.— Diftinctions between the ufe of marle and lime as ‘a manure, 648.—Of fhell-miarle, 551.—How produced, AOio Malting, probably improves the nutritive quality of fome kinds of grain, II. 99- Matloc,{pring there explained, I. 320. Meadow-grafs.‘See poa. Meadow- Se 476 je Ni tp ee Meadmwu-grounds, how to fence them fo as to keep them drys or to Hoat them at pleafure, I. 146.: Meadow-/weet, eaten by goats, II. 54. Medecago lupulina, 11. 247, Method of defending carthen dykes by means of eglantine, I. 14—by ivy, 16—and by thorns, 78. n. Mild calcareous earth, how diftinguifhed from cauttic, I. 268, Milkzort, rifes late in the feafon, II. 47.—Never dies away, 47.—A defcription of this plant, 44.—Faten by every do- meftic animal, 228.—Thrives on very poor foils, 230.— Refembles lucerne, 232.—Produces feeds only on poor foils; 234.—A valuable grafs either for hay or pafture, 234. See Coronilla varica. Milk, plants which tend to make cows give a great quantity of it, 11. 60,—To make it thicker, 61,—To affect its tafte, 62.—Method of freeing it from a difagreeable tafte, 62. n, — Plants that affect its colour, 67,— Warmth increafes the quantity of it, 106.-—Bleeding diminifhes it, 106.—Salt, query concerning, 1c6. Mii? under ground, in Neufchatel, J. 336. ~ for pounding lime ftone defcribed, I. gs. Mill dams, a new, cheap, and durable fort defcribed, I, 159, Millefolium, See Yarrow. Mines may be drained by tapping, I. 321. Mifcellaneous difquifitions, doubts, and queries relating to agriculture, jel sas ge Mo:fiure, avery{mall degree of, very hurtful to hay in mak- ss Q ing it, L. 304, Mongrel animals, I. 347. Mongrel, between an Aiderney-cow and buffaloe, furprizing qualities of, Il. 235. Monk’ s-head, pernicious to goats, but not to horfes, II, 53. Mortar, what, I, 397-—On what principle it becomes a ce- ment, 419.— Proportion of fand to lime in making it, en- quiries concerning, 4§1.—A very hard kind defcribed, that contained very little lime,-456.—Utility of the ope- ration called fouring 459.—Directions for preparing the lime for it, 454.—The mixtures recommended by M, Loriot fer forming it, fhown to be improper, 476.—Sub- {tances that may be ufefully mixed with lime pointed out, 477+\ Mounds, to prevent encroachments from the fea, how to form, 1070; Pe tee —— Se eae et Oh ae Seats= ee eee eta eta aR — a»— = a ~~ PoanN> De hae X 479 Mugwort-roots, fheep fond of, Il. 13, 48.—Affects the tafte of 1 mutton, 71. Mule , difquifitions concerning this fpecies of animal, 11 OMS Ite Mufk-ox, its valuable Gece LE, ag Mufk-thifile, eaten by horfes, IT. Gas OSE‘b-plant, recommended as-an early food for cows, II, 43.—Roots of ditto, 346.—Its other qualities, 247 as ES a N. Natural graffs, how diftinguifhed from artificial, IT. Why, 178. Neaca/ile upon Tyne, coals dug under the ee| New kind of fence for rich lands, I. 102. N7l-Ghau, 31. 280. die faae Se hee) At lor Noxtous plants, that are eaten hee young by domeftic ani- mals, but reje&ted when old, 58s Nurfery, the proper foil for, I. 22. >? Nutritive power of different plants with regard to differen animals—Queries reiatine to, II, 2: — Oo 2 O. Oats, thrive better on foils not impregnated with calcareous matter, than other kinds of grain, LI. 204. ie Qs, fan(the Swed} ifh) a fet of Oils tele 506: } 2 eIN1eN; aAeT= aluable experiments, an account Parfley, wholefome to fwine, but deadly to birds, II. 53. aftures, the old more. valuable-than the new, difquifitions de?; concerning, II, 172.—-May be improved by fowing proper kinds of alate ee 174—Why natural-paftures are never 1) /4) fo good when new as when older, 17 7.~-Artificial paftures may be better, 79.— If the g sround Is nate rally fertile, may barren, th ey al iw ays degenerate, be apres ¢ by age; if TOR. Paflisre-fi ids, the moft economical method of confuming theif produce, difquifitions concerning,!I, 258.—The com- mon practice cenfur ed, 260.—An improvement fuggefted, y 4 re) 2 = & ii caches, Le - ae pit wes a oe | 14 4 478 Eth De x. Peaches, food for hogs, II. 71. Pea(everlafting) recommended to the notice of the farmer, TT. gas. Peas, tne growth of them encouraged by the ufe of lime as a manure, I. 564.—11. 299. Peas and other Legumina, fatten domeftic animals, rather than invigorate them, II. so. Peculiarity of /hape, does not with certainty indicate the other qualities of a breed of animals, II. 356.—Faculty of fat- tening eafily does not depend upon it; 3.57. Peaked bills, fprings in, 1. 335.—How they may be cut off, 7d. Pepper, mortal to fwine, and wholefome to poultry, Il. 53. Perennial p-as, a valuable late fummer food for domeftic ani- mals, 11. 46.—Never die away, 47. Plantain(the broad-leaved) thrives only ona firm foil, If. 286. ——-—(the narrow-leaved) II. 2409- ———(the grafs-leaved) If. 249. Plantain-roots, fheep fond of, IT. 13. Plants not ufually confidered as food for cattle, difquifitions concerning, If. 9.—That may be more economically con- fumed by cutting, or by pafturing, 23.— That may be more economically confumed by being cut, and given by hand green to domeftic animals, or paftured upon by them, dif- quifition concerning, 25. __- fit for food to domeftic animals at different feafons of the year, II. 34. —— that grow only during the winter or{pring, II. 35. __— that afford late fummer-food, IT. 36. too. that require néwly-cultivated ground, or the reverfe, difquifition concerning, 11. 47. __.— that tend to fatten and promote the health of domeftic animals, difquifition concerning, II. 49. __-— that are noxious to one fpecies of animals, and whole- fome to another, difquifition concerning,[f. 53. _.— that are eaten when young, with fafety, by animals, but hurtful when old, II. 55. —-— that tend to promote the generative faculty of animals, difquifition concerning, II. 57. Plants / Poa Ds Bk 479 ants, that tend to excite to venery, difquifition concerning, Il. 58. -—-— that tend to make animals yield much milk, difquiff- a tion concerning, Ll. 60._ —-— that affect the colour of the milk, Tf. 67. n; macs on ae: —--— that tend to make milk thick, difquifition concerning, il. 6%: 4°. ne —i— that affect the taite of mule TT, Gr w=-— that incréafe the richnefs of the milk, but do not aug- ment the quantity of butter or cream, difquifition concer: is| s> ing, Il. 68. ~--— that affect the tafte of the flefh of animals, difquifition is concerning, II. 70. 3 |—--— that thrive on a firm or fpungy foil, difquifition con- r i Plafbing hedges, what, and when ufeful, I. 69. iF| cerning, If. 286. | | Plafier, bow diftinguifhed from mortar, I. 397. -—-—— neceflity of fouring the lime to prevent blifters, ie 460, ns Poa srafes, do not refift frof, but rife early in the fpring, HN. n- 43> re—— frivialis,a fine pafture-grals, IJ. 216. ad nama pratenfis, Jl. 220. —— repens, forms a remarkably clofe pile of pafture, I].221. f{——-— difficulty of aiteinin’ the feeds of all the kinds of pea 0: | grafles, ls,.234: -—(the annual) loves a firm foil, IT. 287. | Polar bear, its hair difpofedin tufts, If. 327. n. Poplar(balfam) its ufes in fencing, I. 102. rfe: oe ae:: Potatoes, a food for horfes, II. 51.—A native. of warm cli- mates, gl. tic Se eee cake; ee ee US oa ee | Principles of Mr. Elkington’s mode of draining explained, 209. ole-/. ae | Proportion of food coniumed by different animals with re{p ect fo their fize, difquifition concerning EES als; ian Saye: et Pruning hedges, directions for, I. 55.* Puddling, a natural kind of, defcribea, I. 291.—Confe- na)} quences of, idid. Fyracantha, its ule in hedges as an ornamental plant, I. So. hat|—How propagated, Sr, “ Queries, 480 Queries,&c. relating to agriculture, II. t. Quickbean. See Raww-tree. Quick-lime, an eflay on, I. 393.—Confidered as a cement, 396 —as amanure, 489. ———-— directions how to prevent its hurting men or horfes; who work among it, I. 569. Quickfands, how they are produced, I. 288. RK. Rabbit, recommended to notice, HI. 271. Ragw.rt, eaten by fheep, II. 54. Rawa-tree, its ufe in fencing, I. 101.—How reared, 102. Rher-deer, can bear a temperate climate, II. 278. Rich land, how to lay it down with grafs-feeds, I. 224. Rickets, in fleep, caution againft, IJ. 169. n. Ridges(high) in what cafes they occafion dampnefs of foil, ’ iad ie 239., Rills, when a boundary of fields, how to be managed, I. 149. Rifing of wool, what is meant by that phrafe, II. 329. Rivers, how to prevent them from overflowing their banks, I. i19.—-Example of its efficacy, 127. n. Rivers, fubterraneous examples of, I. 320, Rot in beep, difpofes them to fatten, LT. 105. Rolli: g, plants that may be deftroyed by it, or made to thrive, I]. 290. Rot grefs, probably hurtful to fheep only when it is in flower, iT.. 56. Rules for diftinguifhing when tapping can or cannot be of ufe, I. 297. Runaing water, when a boundary of fizlds, how to be manag- ed,!A149. Rye-gra/s, more proper for hay than pafturage, IT, 27.-—~ Uinally lafts feven years, 47.—Not peculiarly proper for pafture, 199—Does not refit froft, but it isa very early {pring pafture, 42.—Lovesa foft mould, 293.—Jts growth promoted by time, 30r. Rye-grafs fecd, beft method of Winning it, I. 387, Saigs —————— ee——eee ec i EE nee ape a Me ee 2 lees Oe 481 Saint foin, thrives on chalky foils, II; 302; = roots food for animials, Il. 14. ) Salt, agreeable and wholefome to animals, II. ro2.—Query concerning, 106.—Wholefome to cattle, and poifon to eS; poultry, 53.—A fingular experiment concerning, 307. Sand, proportion to lime in good mortar very great,!. 456. Probably not above one-hundredth part of lime in it, 457- Its proportion muft vary in different kinds of lime, 458.— The moderns err in giving too little fand to their mortar, 458.—Neceflary for making mortar hard, 398.—In what manner it tends to improve the hardnefs of mortar, 429, 435, 481-—What kinds of it are beft, 482. buildings may ftand very firm upon, as a foundation, J. 287. Sandfide, particular foil there defcribed, f. 568. SandyJoils(wet) how to be drained, I. 281, 336.} Sanicle, or rot-grafs, not eaten by fheep, II. 56. Saturation, the meaning of that word, I. 423. Sea, how to prevent it from encroaching on the land, I. 177. Sea-falt, hurtful to lime-cement, I. 483. Sele&ted breeds of animals, benefits that may be derived from a) them, Ii. 351. Service-tree, its ufe as a fence, I. 51. Sheep, peculiarities that diftinguifh different breeds of, enume- rated, II. 135.—Sheep of Perfia and Spain, 273.—Sheep’s- fefcue, fee Feffuca ovena. —— not univerfally a wool-bearing animal, II. 317.—-Kinds that bear wool properly fo called, 318.—Kinds that carry long hair fit for fome of the fame ufes as wool, 320.— . Varieties of, that carry enly fhort hair, like horfes, 333.— e ol The Jamaica breed, peculiarities of, 368.—The breed carrying the golden-flecce, 272. nag Sheerne/s, a fingular well there, defcribed, I. 302. Shells(lime) what, I..395. Shell marle, what, 1. 402.—Its nature and properties as 4 T at manure confidered, 551. y::; | Shelly-/and, its nature and properties as a manure, I. 553- row‘ Shetland fueep, particularized, If. 331. Vor: II. 4 Shrubby- Sais eae a FO te od=: mee EA=, Sea eee a SS Pia= ss OF ae Ce aes 482 i oN Dp£, UX. Shrubby-plants, recommended for examination as food for do= meftic animals,{I. 16. Silk worm, 11. 1576 Sinclair(Sir John) he procures from parliament 10001, for Mr. FE lkington, I. 201.—Propriety of his conduét in this refpect difputed, 202, Size of animals, in what refpect it may be altered by food, and how to diftinguifh that variation from that which is occafioned by an alteration of the breed, IT. 144. n. “Tr depends on the breed, IT. 376.—Illuftrated in regard to dogs, cattle, horfes, and Pigs, 377. Slaking of lime, phenomena that occur, I, 395. Small-leaved forrel, 11. 48. Small bent-grafs, 570. Sot-gra/s, a good pafture on damp-foils, 216.— Delights in moitfts, it, 218. Soil, the nature of j lime, I. 568. 7(frm) plants that‘thrive on it, ET. 286.—Knot-grafs, 287.—Poa annua, 287.—Perennial-clover, Dutch white- clover, 288.- Spungy, plants that thrive on it, 289. ——= difficulty of diftinguithing different foils, IJ. 305.— Singular examples of, 299, 306.—Caution arifing from hence to farmers in gen Solway riofs, Ao zaran, Scot, promotes the growt clover, II, 301, Sorrel(the fmall-leaved) thrives on a{pungy foil, II, 289.— May be deftroyed by rolling, 290. Souring-lime, circumftances in w More neceflary for platter t} grows‘in foils that have not been limed, I. IT. 42.—Creeping, 217.—Difticult to obtain feeds of f permanently changed by the ufe of eral, 295. h of rye-grafs much more than of hich it is of ufe, I 460.—~ ian for mortar, 461. Spanish fheep,‘f imported into this ifland, carry as fine wool as before, 11. 360, 362.—The beft breeds have not yet been« obtained, 360, 362. Spani/h Sheep, a breed there that carry no wool, IT. 334. Sarr, what it is, I. gor. Spouting grounds, what, I. 2 2. Spr TES, w of it, how occafioned, J. 246.— Corrected, tai} 4 te=n aug 2 eee Oaeicer,© 483 Springs, how formed, I. 232. ~———-— drained at a diftance by tapping, I, 309. ———-— two of them may be difcovered in the fame place» that keep always at the fame height in wet and in dry weather; that rife to different heights; that which is the deepeft, ftanding always at the greateft height, I. 337. Spurrey, loves a{pungy foil, IT. 292. Stalaéites, how formed, I. 412. Stinted-hedge, how to recover, I. 68. Stitchel-hair, what, IT. 143. Subterranean rivers; examples of, I. 320. Surface-drains, cafes in which they can beof no ufe, I. 292. Swaggle, what, and how to be drained, I, 245. wallows, what fo calledyI. 324. r- Tapping, mode of draining in this way, the rationale of, exe plained, I. 248.— Directions how to condué this operation, 249.—-Another example of the utility of, particularly ftat- eg, 293.—The manner of performing this operation with effect, particularly illuftrated, 295—Rules for diftinguith- ing in what cafes tapping can er cannot be of fervice, 296. —Deep ditches not neceflary, 297.-—Cafe in which one tapping will not fully effect a cure, 298.—Tapping fhould be performed at the loweft extremity of the wet-ground, 2@9.—A well at Sheernefs difcovered by tapping, 302.— Another at Derby, 397-—-Water may be obtained by tap- ping for turning machinery, 308.—May dry up other {prings, 309. Tare(blue) recommended for making hay of, 11. 238. 7 born-plants, rules to choofe, I. 36. JT imothy-grafs, 11. 219. Tir-eye, fingular foi] there defcribed, I. 570. Taparifou; WI. 28. Touz, an animal of Thibet, carrying very fine wool, might be naturalized to Britain, II. 272. Trees, do not admit of being reared in fuch a diverfity of cli- mates as annual plants, and why, li. 89. Turnip, grows beft in autumnand winter, VJ. 36.—Food for horfes,<1—Communicates a tafte to milk, 64.— Gives a difagreeable tafte to beef or mutton, 62.— Will thrive without calcareous manures, 300. Liz Twigs 484 Io NS De pee xs Twigs of a hedge, how to prevent from being killed in wine ter, I. 74, Ue Urus, I. 276,—Fine fur of, 276. 276.n. See Bifon, Upminfier, in Effex, a{pring there accounted for, I. 337. — Once a native of Britain, iV Varieties of domettic animals, if permanent or not, II. 124. ~——-— accidental, among animals, permanency of, II. 3¢r. Vesetables, may be profitably introduced into a country where. they formerly were not, examples of, Il. 157, Vegetable-mould,\ofes its fertility by being buried deep below the furface, i. 343. Fegetation, of grafts feed, promoted by being fown with I. 373.—Other circumftances favourable for, I. 378. Venery, an enquiry if any plants excite animals to feed Ela Fernal-grafs, confidered as. a green winter-pafture, IT. 4il— Does not yield a weighty produce either for hay or pafture, 225.—Grows ona very different foil, 225.—An experi- ment concerning, 65. grain, Vetches(perennial) a valuable late fummer food for domef- tic animals, I. Ave Vetch-bufhy recommended as a particular] either for hay or pafturage, if, 239.| Fetchling(yellow) a defcription of that plant, II. 234.—Fit for hay or pafturage, 245.—Difficulty of obtaining feeds of it, 236.—A mode of propagating it by the roots, 23.9. y valuable plant, Ww. Water, in large proportions, ufeful to mortar, I. 431.— Should be retained long in the mortar, ibid.— Quantity of it re- uired to flack lime-fhells, I,: q>+. 499 Water, wles that may be made of that obtained by boring, for turning machinery,&c. I. 308. Water-hemloc, poifonous to cows, Ii. 93. ( but wholefome to the goat, Vater-mint, eaten by horfes, If. 54. C E , Weighty lime, the leatt proper as a manure, I. so. Weirs, ciate il a i st = ES Pe) a ok. 485 Weirs, on running waters, how to make, I. 159. Wells, a particular kind, that keep always nearly at the fame height, near Leith, defcribed and explained, I. 288.—A particular well at Sheernefs, 302.—Another ditto at Derby, 307-—Another of falt-water at Halle, 310—Another ditto | at Languard-fort, 332.—it may be cut off, 333.—Wells in |{mall iflands accounted for, 33 4.—And in peaked hills, 335. —How thefe may be dried up, 74¢d.—Another in Upmin- fter, in Effex, accounted for, 336.—Two wells may exift in the fame place, in which the water ftands always at one height in each, but that which is deepeft may rife the higheft, 337. Weftphalia hams, i. 71. Wet-land, produced by fandy burfts above it, how to be drain- ed, I. 237.—Wetnefs of this kind ufually of great extent, 238.—Rendered worfe by being raifed into high ridges, 239.—Not to be dried by making drains in each furrow, 240.—This kind of wetnefs more particularly illuftrated, 277.—Directions more particular how to remove it, 279. —The great mifchief occafioned by a fmal! fpring, in cafes of this fort, farther exemplified, 278. j y \ \ t. t ; \ Wheat, and fuch kinds of grain, why they cannot be brought to perfection in tropical climates, Il. 85. Whins, how they may be reared fo as to form a proper fence, I. 97-—-They furnifh a valuable winter’s food for domef- tic animals, 100.—Different modes of employing them, ror. n.—An ornamental hedge, and very proper for dry- ing clothes about wafhing greens, 112, n. ~~ ee Whitening, what it is, I. 259. White-tborn, fee Hedges. Willows, truncheons of, ufeful in mending decayed hedges, I. 70.—A particular method of forming a fence of them de- {cribed, 82.—Obfervations on the foil moft proper for rearing them, 83. n.—Their ufe as ftakes for rails, go. n. .—Recommended to notice as a food to domeftic animals, iF Ti 223. Willow-berb, difquifitions concerning, II. 10. n.—Roots of, Mu difquifitions concerning, 13.—~An early{pring food for COWS, 44. aby Woodbine, an ornamental plant in hedges, I, 83. Wool, degenerates into hair in warm climates, Hl. 76.— Doubted, 76. n.—Improved by an equality of tempera- ture, 77.—Of Perfia and Spain, why fo fine,§0.—Of Ruf- it 1153 fia 496 EON, iy OR oe fia and Denmark, why coarfe, 81.—Of Great Britain and Ireland, why it fhould be good, 81.—Enquiry if the na. ture of the food affeéts the quality, 107.—Difquifition con- cerning the effects of climate on, 109,—If affected by the age of the animal, 110.-—If the quantity can be increafed by any particular management, 111.—If it: quality can be improved by ditto, 112.—The finenefs of its quality not connected with the fize of the fheep, 160—nor its length of pile, 164—nor finenefs of ftaple with its fhortnefs, 165—nor with delicacy of conftitution, 165—--nor coarfenefs with clofenefs of pile, 166. Wool, circumftances which tend to difcriminate it from hair, Pe 321- -—— feparates from the fkin all at one time, IT. 329. Wool-bearing animals, difquifition concerning the varieties of, I]. 314.—Sheep, varieties of, properly fuch, 318.—Sheep, varieties of, that carry long hair refembling wool, 320.—~ Do. varieties of, that carry fhort hair like horfes, 333.— Dogs that carry woolly hair, 337.—Goats that produce very fine wool, 338.—Hogs that bear wool, 340.—Wool. bearing cattle, varieties of, 344. ¥, Yarr, cultivated as a food for milk-cows in Holland, I. 60. Yarrow, recommended as a mott valuable pafture-grafs, II. 250. Young(Arthur) his opinion quoted, I. 338. Z. Zebu, carries a coat of very foft clofe hair, II. 344.——-Deli- cacy of its flefh, THE£E-N.D, r DIRECTIONS to trHe BINDER. Do not pay any attention to the References on the Plates, but infert them as under: VoLtuME I. Plate I.=- fronting page 142 Plate II.---- 154. Plate ITI.--- 158 Vouume II. Plate 1. Rough-leaved dandelion,—- fronting page 64 —— 2. Rye-grafs--- 200 —— 3. Purple fefcue-grafs=- 202 —— 4. Sheeps’ fefcue-grafs oe mae 200 —— 5. Creeping foft-grafs-~ 216 —— 6, Bulbous foxtail-grafs--, 218 —— 1. Great meadow-grafs-- 220 —— 8. Creeping meadow-grafs Se 222 —— g. Vernal grafs--~ 224. —— 10. Crefted dogs-tail-grafs-- 226 —— 11, Milkwort--- 228 —— 12, Yellow vetchling-. 2.34. —— 13. Blue tare-~- 2.38 ——= a4. Duthsvetch-= 240 —— 15. Ribgrafs- ar ow 248 —— 16. Grafs-leaved plantain>= 250 —— 17. Yarrow-- 252« ——— 18. Feather-grafs--- 294 1-1-4 ANALYTICAL TASLE OF CONTENTS OF VOLUME THIRD OF ESSAYS RELATING TO AGRICULTURE,&e. (Which is to be fold feparately.) ES SAWER'S 1: ‘ . 4 ON THE OBSTACLES TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF ‘ AGRICULTURE IN ENGLAND, AND THE MEANS OF REMOVING THEM. § I. Commonable lands confidered as an obftru&tion 5 to agriculture. If. Commons. (II. The minute divifion of property. - Intermixture of property. V. Mills. q i 4 § ig | *, oe of — a= t= < Thirlage,——Introduétion. VI. Farms, of a fize inadequate to the circum ances in which they are placed. VIJ. Inadequate fecurity of tenure, improper condi- tions under which that tenure has been grani- ed, and reftrictive claufes in Jeafes. Lord Kaims’s leaf. VITL. Want of capital among farmers. {X. Inclofures injudicioufly made. X. Church lands, lands in mortmain and entails. XI. Indefinite claims upon land. Tithes, confidered as they affed 1. The farmer. ——2. Proprietor, —— 3. Lithe-owner and impropriator. : 4. Lhe public. Poor’s rates. § XI. Want = ied = eee aa=e‘el-— x = nn a it OA AS“a ~ CONTENTS of Vol. II. § XII. Want of eafy means of communication, XIII. Want of markets, as aifecting, 1. 4 corn farm or, 2. A grafs farm. XIV. Injudicious fifcal reoulations. Lhe falt laws. Laws of fettlement,— Introduction. Corn laws, Pofifcript. XV. Want of means of circulating agricultural knowe ledge among farmers, ESSAY ob CO ND. @N WASTE LANDS, AND TFHE MEANS. OF THEIR IMPROVEMENT. PAR 82 PO Rose: ON THE IMPROVEMENT OF WASTE LANDS BY MEANS OF CULTURE, §. I. Preliminary obfervations on the circumftances that require to be adverted to before the cul- tivation of watte lands fhould be attempted, The neighbourhood of great towns peculiarly favourable for the improvement of wattes. No expence fhould be incurred but that which tends to remove /hyfical obitructions only. No thare of the profit arifing fiom the improvement of waftes fhould be abftraéted from the undertaker. Agricultural enterprifes in England lefs profitable than thofe in trade or manufactures.. Difference between England and Scotland in regard to agricultural enterprifes. The cultivation of waftes a fort of bufinefs in Scotland, Iluttrated by a praéticable example. Land to be appropriated in Jieu of tithes confidered. The improvement of wafte lands fhould be conduéted by aétual farmers. Apathy of farmera, circumftances which occafion it. Infecurity of tenure ftops the improvement of waftes. Inclofed lands may fometimes be called waftes. Neceflity of adverting to the foregoing circumftances. If. Practical directions for bringing wafte laxds inte cultivation. 1/8...als conneEed with a cultivated farm, How to bring waite lands as foon as poflible into the ftate of pro- fitable grafs lands.- The neceflity of not attempting to do too much inculcated. d Lime CONTENTS of Vol. IIL Lime the moft univerfal manure for unproductive land, Dung ought to be conjoined with lime. Summer fallowing, ufes of it. Deep ftirring of the foil, importance of. Trenching, its utility.© The miner, an implement fo called, its ufes. A pa ticular kind of wet foils, how to diain and cultivate Deep ploughing on ordinary occafions, not neccflary. Lime ought to be fpread while in a dry powdry ftate. Turnip a proper crop for unmellowed foils. Turnips fhould be fown early. Two crops of turnips may be taken in fucceffion. Peas or vetches may be fown on Riff foils. Oats fucceed well on crude foils. Grafs fezds thould be fown with the firft corn crop. Rye-grafs recommended. Burn-baiting, cafes in which it may be fucceis{ully adopted, The /urface only may be burned, though the foil be deep ploughed. Burning old corn-land may prove hurtful, Burning moffy foils a dangerous praétice. Stiff clayey foils diificult to be brought into cultivation. The expence of cultivating fuch foils often proves ruinous. 2d. On the culivation of wafte lands as not connetied with a farm. Temporary meafures neceflary to be adopted at the beginning of fach operations, The natural produce of wafte lands confumed by fheep. The dung of thefe theep a fource of improvement, Lime fhould be conjoined with it.: Folding of theep, mode of conducting It. Permanent inclofures not here neceflary. Divided commons cften come under this clafs of wattes. Lime applied to the furface of grafs land, how to be managed, Irrigations flightly noticed.: Inclofures, circumftances that render them unneceffary. Pun RY*S2E-C. OW D- ON THE. IMPROVEMENT OF WASTE LANDS, BY PLANTING TREES. §. I. General remarks on the different kinds of trees ‘that may be planted on waftes. IJ. Of fir plantations in particular. Price at which a plantation of firs can be made in Scotland, On bleak expofures, which kind thrives beft. Firs ought to be planted out while very young. The leaves and branches of the fir-tree a wholefome food for cattle and fheep. JII. Of the larch-tree, its value and ufes. The value of its wood remarked by Vitruvius, Its extreme durability remarked by Dr. Pallas. w= by Mr. Harte, and Admiral Greig. 4= ; : . | + bs t 3 SA CONTENTS of Vol. IIL -—— by M. le prefident de Ja tour D’Aigues. —— by Mr. Ritchie, Britifh conful at Venice. —— by Mr. Evelyn. -—— by a modern gentleman on the Alps. V.B. Larch-trees at Dunkeld, meafurements of, note. Even young larch-wood very durable, feveral inftances of. Larch-wood neither thrinks, nor warps, nor is eaten by worms, —— nearly incombuftible. — the thittim-wood of Scripture. The larch is of very quick growth. Meafurement of Mr. Newham’s trees. Of larch-trees at Dunkeld, nore, It grows on almoit any(il A plantation of larches will yield fome return in’6 or 8 years, Ules to which young larch-wood may be applied. Fay-rakes, Shafts for hoes, handles for brooms, fcythes,&c, Chairs, hop-poles, hurdles, gates. Neat and durable railing, hen-coops,&c. Fences for fields. Windows, joifts, flooring, fhip-building, Barrel-ftaves, Ufes of larch bruth-wood, For filling drains. Fuel. Venice turpentine yielded by the larch-tree. Manne de Briancon. §. IV. Direétions for rearing plantations of larch-trees for profit. The larch fhould be planted entirely by itfelf. Difference between natural grown woods and plantations. The reed of wood, what, Knots in wood, how produced, Natural wood, and planted woods, the difference between them explained, Dunkeld method of rearing larches, nose. Plantations fhould be made very thick, TRe trees fhould be planted out while vety young. — fhould be planted in fquares. The firft thinning, how to be made. Second thinning, Third thinning. Fourth thinning. Benefits to be derived from thefe thinnings. Farther thinnings, how to be condu@ted Hints refpecting the profit to be derived from thefe plantations. Sufficient fences necefiu y to protect plantations, Stone walls. Ditch and bank fence, Furze, its ufes in fencing, The larix, its ufes in fencing. The bramble, its ufes in fencin oO ge The fweetebrier, or eglantine, do. Conclufion, ESSA ¥ ae et—=- i- ee ee CON TENTS of Vol. III. PS 0 AY Re), HINTS ON THE ECONOMICAL CONSUMPTION OF THE PRODUCE OF A FARM. Introductory remarks. Much dung is\ wafted under the common practice of pafturage. ‘The extra grafs produced by folding, from one acre of rich grafey fhould keep three fheep. No fuch flufh of grafs is perceived, where folding is not prac- tifed. Nor any fenfible melioration of the ground perceived. Grafs land is not improved by being paftured upon. Folding an economical pra€tice. Mode of conduéting that procefs. Comparative view of the advance in produétivenefs between fold- ing on grafs land, and fimply patturing it. i/?, On an unproduétive pafture, 2d, On rich pafture land,; Hard or light ftocking of pafture-ground confidered. Cutting grais land, and confuming the produce in the howfe, benefi- cial, when confidered, 1/7, As to the confumption of the plants. zd, The health and comfort of the animal itfelf, 3d, The quantity of manure obtained. 4th, The quantity of herbage produced. Confirmed by experience, afi, As to red-clover. 2d, Other kinds of grafs ground. Experiment propofed. Rich grafs lands, if conftantly cut, are not deteriorated The guality of the grafs improves while kept under the fcythe. Sweetnefs of paftures, what conftitutes this, explained. ‘The fame weight of food, if palatable, will go much farther in fattening animals, than if it were unpalatable, The quantity of animal fubfiftence may be thus greatly aug- mented. Hories can be feed upona much fmaller quantity of food than cattle. Condiments, their importance in domeftic economy. Utility of inducing beafts to eat as much food as poffible in a given time. Obferved in regard to feeding of calves. Cramming of poultry. Method of fattening geefe in Languedoc, nore. ducks in ditto, Receipt for feeding poultry, nere. Pure water, its great utility as a condiment. Common falt, value of in feeding beafts. It is not in itfelf nutritious, but merely a€ts_as a condiment. If permitted to be frecly ufed, it would augment the food of cattle to an aftonifhing degree. The duty on falt extremely pernicious. Flay, the bett mode of obtaining it of a fine quality. Importance of having hay of a very fine quality. How it may be cut, and immediately put up in the ftack, while very tender and fucculent. A. permanent roof for a hay-ftack, its utility. Mode of making hay under fuch a roof, Economical ' =-—= ee- eee m4 hea—™.=~~- —__—eeee——__ os q Y 3 4 - % CONTENTS of Vol. IIL Economical mode of faving corn, if inned while frefh cut down, note. On the right conftru€tion of farm buildings. An economical arrangement for feeding cattle, defcribed, Noxious plants may be converted into nourihing food, Exemplified in the yew-tree, which is employed as a whole- fome food for bea{t in the province of Helle. Sheep may be ftall-fed as well as cattle., Objections founded on the cotting of fheep, anfwered. On the confumption of turnips by fheep. Waste incurred in hurdling off turnips by theep. Turnips may be often more. profitably applied in the rearing of fheep, than the fattening them. Swedith tuinip, or Ruta bagz, its peculiar excellencies. Turnips may be employed for rearing young horfes, Conclufion. POSES CR PPT; CURSORY REMARKS ON THE CORN LAWS OF GREAT BRITAIN. Fufi publifbed by the Author, and fold by Meffrs. Rosin- sons, London; and BeLu and BRATEFUTE, Edin- burgh, A PRACTICAL TREATISE on Draining BOGS and SWAMPY GROUNDS, illuftrated by Figures, with curfory Remarks on the Originality of Mr. Eikington’s Mode of Draining. To which is added, Direétions for making a New Kind of ftrong, cheap, and durable Fence, for rich Lands; for ereéting, at little Expence, Mill-dams,: or Weirs upon Riveis, that fhall be alike firm and durable; j for effe@ually ouarding againft Encroachments by the Sea upon the Land, and for gradually raifing Drowned Fens, into Sound Grafs Lands. As alfo, Difquifitions concern- ing the different Breeds of Sheep, and other Domeftic Ani- mals; being the principal Additions that have been made to the Fourth Edition of Effays relating to Agriculture and Rural Affairs; publifhed feparately, for the accom- modation of the purchafers of the former-editions of this -Work. Moo fum pauper in ere. Of whom may be had, by the fame Author. Obfervations on the Means of exciting a Spirit of National Induftry, gto. 15s. boards. Obfervations on Planting and Training Timber Trees, by Agricola, 8vo. 3s. boards. A Practical Treatife on Smoky Chimnies, with a Plate, 3d edition, 12mo, 1s. fewed. N.B. ln this Little Treatife was firft explained, the prin- ciples of the Bath Patent Stove. BOOKS publifed by Meffrs. Robinfon. A Praéical Treatife on Peat Mofs, containing full direc- tions for converting it into a fertile foil, 8vo. 4s. boards. An Account of Ruffian Sheep, by Dr. Pallas, with five Ap- pendixes, tending to illuftrate the Natura} and Economi- cal Hiftory of Sheep, with plates, 5s. écards. An Effay on Quick-Lime as a Cementy and as a Manure, 8vo, 5s. dcards. Objerve, this conftitutes one of the Effays in the Firft Pilume of Effays on Azviculiure and Rural Affairs. An Account of the Prefent State of the Hebrides, with a amap, 8vo. 7s. boards. The Bee, confifting of Effays, Philofophical, Philologicaf, and Mifcellaneous; intelligence refpecting Arts, Litera- ture, Manufactures,&c. 18 vols. crown 8vo. with plates, 4l. 4s. boards, Two Letters to Sir John Sinclair, Bart. on the Subjeé& of Mr. Elkington’s Mode of Draining, 8vo. 1s. /ewed. N.B. The two firft volumes of Effays relating to Agri- ‘ culture,&c. being again out of print, the Public is refpectfully informed, that a Fourth Edition of thef volumes, with Corrections and Additions by the Author, is now preparing for the prefs, and will be publifhed with all convenient fpeed. *y* N.B. La thefe volumes, the mode of draining land that bas fince been afcribed to Mr. Elkingion, is dejcrideds and its principle foclearly explained, as io enable any per- fon who pleases to prod fe it on a plan much left expenitve than that which is ufually followed by Mr. Elkington. LOUIE APU REL. Dr. ANDERSON thinks himfelf unfortunate in havinz oc- cafion to complain of fuch repeated acts of injuftice done to him by Sir John Sinclair. He fhould not, however, have troubled the public-in confequence of this injury he is now abont to ftate, hadit refpected himfelf alone; but as it tends to affe& the memory of a man to whom he lies under the greateft obligations, and for whofe memory he bears the moft refpectful veneration, no confideration whatever can prevail with him to become as it were a filent accomplice to a deed which tends to wound his reputation in the moft infi- dious manner. Thefe confiderations induced him to pub- lith the following advertifement in the Morning Chronicle, for March 2 sth laft; to which he has not as yet feen any an- fwer. He now reprints it, to give it the greater degree of, publicity, till he fhould more deliberately determine what farther fteps will be neceffary completely to efect the pur- pofe of refcuing the memory of Dr. Cullen from the injury it has thus fuftained. Rees teen ee er ee ig MIDE NENA TE op is a ADVERTISEMENT. « We are authorifed by Dr. Anderfon, to inform the public, that a paper which has been printed and circulated by the Board of Agriculture, purporting to be written by the late Dr. Cullen, of Edinburgh, and commented upon as a genuine performance of that eminent man, is not a work of Dr. Cullen, who never wrote or corrected one fyllable of it; that every word of that paper was written by Dr. James An- derfon, being the fubftance of very imperfect notes taken by him, while yet a boy of little more than fifteen years of age, from the extempore difcourfes of Dr. Cullen, which was his fir{t attempt to take notes of any kind. Confcious of the extreme inaccuracy of thefe notes, the pupil took care not only to mark this particular in the very title, by the words, * errores funt difcipuli,”’ but alfo to ftate it more clearly in a fhort advertifement prefixed(all of which have been fup- preffed in the printed copy) warning every perion into whofe hands it might fall, not to fuffer the errors of the pu- pil to injure the character of the preceptor; but he farther tcok care never fince to allow the MS. to be out of his pof- feffion, unlefs to two of Dr. Cullen’s fons alone, to whom he lent it under the ftri&eft injunctions, not to allow it to be feen or copied by any perfon whatever. Sir John Sin- clair having heard that this MS. was in the pofleflion of fr. Cullen(now Lord Cullen) applied to that gentleman, through various channels, for permiffion to take a copy of it, which he pofitively refufed to do, or to give his confent to its being publithed, could a copy of it be even obtained. Sir John afterwards, however, found means(which it is fuppofed ae does not defire to have publicly developed) to obtain a copy of that: MS. and immediately publifhed it, to the no{mall attonifftment of Mr. Cullen, as well as to that of the owner of the MS. No fooner did Dr. Ander- fon fee a copy of that publication, and came to an explana- tion with Mr. Cullen on the fubjeét, than he ftated his claim to the MS. ina letter to Sir John Sinclair, and foon after to the Board of Agricul If ulture alfo, requiring that a far- ther publication of it might be ftepped, as being his own private property; and alfo, witha view to do juftice to the character of Dr. Cullen, requefted that the Board would be pleafed to make fome public intimation of the miftake it had inadvertently fallen into in afcribing it to him. This the Board at laft declined to do, in confequence of which this fhort flatement of faéts is made public, in the mean time, till more effectual means for obtaining redrefs be adopted. “—— a TIP ah Dat eh oe iene SHARE TE RO ———— —— Blue Cyan Green Vellow Hed Magenta Wnite— Geye Grey 3 Grey 4 Black