The several Sorts may be principally distinguish’d by the following Terms; _viz._ First, The _Virgin_. Secondly, The _Blossom’d_. Thirdly, The _Full-grown_. And, Fourthly, The _Thresh’d Hay_. The First of these is best of all, beyond Comparison; and (except _Luserne_) has not in the World its Equal. This must be cut before the Blossoms appear: For when it stands till full-blown, the most spirituous, volatile, and nourishing Parts of its Juices are spent on the next Generation; and this being done all at once, the Sap is much depauperated, and the _St. Foin_ can never recover that Richness it had in its Virgin State. And tho’, when in Blossom, it be _literally_ in the _Flower_ of its Age, ’tis really in the _Declension_ of it. If it be said, that what is not in the Stalk is gone into the Flower, ’tis a Mistake; because much the greatest Part of its Quintessence perspires thence into the Atmosphere. And moreover, That all Vegetables are, in some Degree, weaken’d by the Action of continuing their Kind, may be inferr’d from those Plants which will live several Years, if not suffer’d to blossom; but, whenever they blossom, it causes their Death, tho’ in the first Year of their Life. For in Plants (as Dr. _Willis_ observes in Animals) Nature is more solicitous to continue the Species, than for the Benefit of the Individual. Part of a drill’d _St. Foin_ Ground was cut the Beginning of _May_, before blossoming[181]; and from the Time of cutting, until it was set up in Ricks, being about Ten Days, the Sun never shone upon it[182]; but the Weather was misty: At last it was forc’d to be carried together for fear of Rain, so green, that out of the largest Stalks one might wring milky Juice; yet by making the Hay up in several little Ricks, and drawing up a great Chaff Basket in the Middle of each, its Firing was prevented; but it look’d of a dark Colour by heating; and was the very best[183] Hay that ever I had. [181] By cutting before blossoming, is not meant before any one Blossom appears; for here and there a Bud will begin to open with a red Colour long before the rest: Therefore, when we perceive only a very few Blossoms beginning to open (perhaps but One of a Thousand), we regard them as none. [182] This also was an Advantage to this Hay; for Apothecaries find, that Herbs dried in the Shade retain much more of their Virtue than these dried in the Sun; but Farmers not having any such Conveniency of drying their Hay in the Shade with Safety, must always choose to dry it by the Sun; because in cloudy Weather there is Danger of Rain; and therefore such excellent Hay must be had by Chance; for to be well made in the Shade, it must be in Danger of being spoiled or damaged by Rain.