[161] There is a vulgar Opinion, that _St. Foin_ will not succeed on any Land, where there is not an under _Stratum_ of Stone or Chalk, to stop the Roots from running deep; else, they say, the Plants spend themselves in the Roots only, and cannot thrive in those Parts of them which are above the Ground. I am almost ashamed to give an Answer to this. ’Tis certain that every Plant is nourished from its Roots (as an Animal is by its Guts); and the more and larger Roots it has, the more Nourishment it receives, and prospers in proportion to it. _St. Foin_ always succeeds where its Roots run deep; and when it does not succeed, it never lives to have long Roots; neither can there ever be found a Plant of it, that lives so long as to root deep in a Soil that is improper for it: Therefore ’tis amazing to hear such Reasoning from Men. An under _Stratum_ of very strong Clay, or other Earth, which holds Water, may make a Soil improper for it; because the Water kills the Root, and never suffers it to grow to Perfection, or to attain to its natural Bulk. The best _St. Foin_ that ever I saw, had nothing in the Soil to obstruct the Roots, and it has been found to have Roots of a prodigious Depth. If there be Springs near (or within several Feet of) the Surface of the Soil, _St. Foin_ will die therein in Winter, even after it has been vigorous in the first Summer; and also after it hath produced a great Crop in the second Summer. This Tap-root has also a Multitude of very long horizontal Roots at the upper Part thereof, which fill all the upper _Stratum_, or Staple of the Ground; and of thousands of _St. Foin_ Roots I have seen taken up, I never found one that was without horizontal Roots near the Surface, after one Summer’s Growth; and do much wonder how Mr. _Kerkham_ should be so mistaken, as to think they have none such. Also these Tap-roots have the horizontal ones all the Way down; but as they descend, they are still shorter and shorter, as the uppermost are always the longest. Any dry Ground may be made to produce this noble Plant, be it never so poor; but the richest Soil will yield the most of it, and the best.