And the _Romans_ had not only Servants, but plenty of Slaves, for whom they had scarce sufficient Employment: This might lessen the Expence of this tedious Method of Planting, and ordering the _Medica_. But when the _Romans_ were brought down to the Level of other Nations, and in Danger of being Slaves, instead of having them; and the Lands of _Italy_ came to be cultivated by _Italian_ Hands only; they found something else more necessary to employ them in, than the Sarritions, Runcations, and Rigations of the _Medica_. Their Labour being bestow’d in getting Bread for themselves, they substituted other artificial Grasses of more easy Culture, in the room of Medica, for the Food of their Cattle. They were so bigotted to all the Superstitions of their Ancestors, that they were content to lose the Use of that most beneficial Plant, rather than attempt to cultivate it by a new, tho’ more rational Method, when they were become unable any longer to continue it by the old. Thus, as I take it, Superstition has chased _Medica_ from the _Roman_ Territories, and so little of it is planted there, that beyond the _Alps_ I could not find one whole Acre of it. Luserne makes a great Improvement in the South of _France_: There, when their low sandy Land is well prepar’d, and very clean, they sow it alone, in _March_, and at _Michaelmas_, as we do Clover: Their sowing it at those Seasons is of a double Advantage: First, it saves the Labour of watering it, which would be impracticable for so many thousand Acres, as there are planted. Secondly, Those Seasons being much moister than that wherein the _Romans_ sow’d it, the Grub has Opportunity of eating more of it at its first coming up; and often the Frost kills some of it. By these Advantages the Ground is less over-stock’d. The Summers there are much drier than in _Italy_, so that the Sun scorches up the natural Grass, and suffers it not to come to a Turf till after some Years; and therefore has less need of Weeding. But as that natural Grass increases, the Crops of Luserne are proportionably diminish’d: And tho’ Luserne is said to last Ten or Twelve Years; yet it is in Perfection only for a very few Years. Whilst it is at best on their richest Land, and in a kind Summer, they have at Seven Crops Ten Tuns to an Acre, as I have computed them from the Relation of some of the Inhabitants of _Pezenas_. This was extraordinary: for I observ’d, that most of their common Crops made a very thin Swarth. When the Ground begins to be turffy and hard, many of the Luserne-plants die, and the rest send up very few Stalks: The People know this is the Destruction of it, and therefore I have seen some of them, in that Case, half-plow it, thinking thereby to destroy the Turf: This does for a time much strengthen the Luserne-plants; but it so much strengthens the Grass also, that the Turf grows the stronger; and then there is no Remedy but to plow it up, make the Ground clean, and replant it.