The Botanist's Companion, Volume II: Or an Introduction to the Knowledge of Practical Botany, and the Uses of Plants. Either Growing Wild in Great Britain, or Cultivated for the Puroses of Agriculture, Medicine, Rural Oeconomy, or the ArtsSalisbury, William
Science
The Botanist's Companion, Volume II: Or an Introduction to the Knowledge of Practical Botany, and the Uses of Plants. Either Growing Wild in Great Britain, or Cultivated for the Puroses of Agriculture, Medicine, Rural Oeconomy, or the Arts
Salisbury, William
Plants -- Great Britain
"I sowed some fields for the same gentleman in autumn in the same way,
and found them to succeed equally well."
The above remarks are part of a communication I gave six years since to
the Society of Arts, for which I was honoured with their prize medal;
and I have great pleasure in transcribing it [Footnote: See Transactions
of the Society of Arts, vol. xxvii. p. 70.], as I frequently visit the
meadows mentioned above, and have the satisfaction of hearing them
pronounced the best in their respective neighbourhoods. Thus are my
opinions on this head borne out by twelve years experience. Let the
sceptic compare this improvement with his pretended advantage of a crop
of Barley.
It should be observed that our agricultural efforts are intended only to
assist the operations of nature, and that in all our experiments we
should consult the soil as to its spontaneous produce, from whence alone
we can be enabled to adapt, with propriety, plants to proper situations.
The kinds of selected grass-seeds that are at this time to be purchased
are few, and consist of Lolium perenne, Festuca pratensis, Alopecurus
pratensis; Dactylis glomeratus, Cynosurus cristatus; with the various
kinds of Clovers: and it is not easy to lay down any rule as to the
mixture or proportion of each different kind that would best suit
particular lands. Attention however should, in all cases, be paid to the
plants growing wild in the neighbouring pastures, or in similar soils,
and the greater portion used of those which are observed to thrive best.
In certain instances I have mentioned particular quantities of seeds to
be mixed with others; but in general I have stated how much it would
require to sow an acre with each kind separately; from which a person
may form a criterion, when several sorts are used, as to what quantity
of each sort should be adopted. Taking into view, therefore, that
nothing but a mixture of proper kinds of Grasses, &c. will make good
pasturage, and that our knowledge is very imperfect on this head at the
present season, we must advise that particular attention be paid to the
subject, or little good can be hoped for from all our endeavours.
* * * * *
SECT. III.--FODDER FROM LEAVES AND ROOTS.
The student in agriculture will find in this department a wide field for
speculation, which, although it has been greatly improved during the
last century, still affords much room for experiments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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