Part 39

For tho’ the under Stratum of Earth be much poorer than the upper; yet that, never having been drain’d by any sort of Vegetables, must afford considerable Nourishment to the First that comes there.

And besides, in such Land whose Poverty proceeds from the Rain’s carrying its Riches too quickly down through the upper Stratum, the under Stratum must be the richer for receiving what the upper Stratum lets pass unarrested.

In light poor Land the Water carrying some impregnated Earth along with it down lower than it does in strong Land, that is more tenacious of such impregnated Particles, the under Strata of strong Land are likely to be poorer than those of light Land.

’Tis well known, that many Estates have been much improv’d by St. Foin; therefore there is no occasion to mention Particulars. Only I will take Notice, that the First in England was one of about One hundred and Forty Pounds per Annum, sown with St. Foin, and sold for Fourteen Thousand Pounds; and as I hear, continues, by the same Improvement, still of the same Value. This is, I suppose, the same that Mr. Kirkham mentions in Oxfordshire.

Another Farm of Ten Pounds per Annum Rent, which, whilst in Arable, was like to have undone the Tenant; but being all planted with St. Foin by the Owner, was lett at One hundred and Ten Pounds per Annum, and prov’d a good Bargain.

These Estates consisted of thin Slate Land; which before it was planted with St. Foin, was valued at two Shillings per Acre, and some Part of it at One Shilling per Acre (as I have been inform’d); and yet Oxen are well fatted by the St. Foin it produces.

If it should be ask’d, Why St. Foin is an Improvement so much greater in England, than in other Countries? it might be answer’d by shewing the Reason why English Arable is of so much less Value than Foreign where the Land is of equal Goodness, and the Corn produc’d of equal Price.

’Tis doubtless from the extraordinary Price of English Labour above that of other Countries, occasioned by English Statutes being in this Respect different from all other Laws in the World.

CHAP. XIII.

Of LUSERNE.

La Luserne is that famous Herba Medica so much extoll’d by the Antients.

The high Esteem they had of its Use appears by the extraordinary Pains they bestow’d on its Culture.

Its Leaves resemble those of Trefoil: It bears a blue Blossom very like to double Violets, leaving a Pod like a Screw, which contains the Seeds about the Bigness of broad Clover, tho’ longer, and more of the Kidney-shape.

The Stalks grow more perpendicular than any of the other artificial Grasses that I know, slender, full of Knots and Leaves: ’Tis of very near an equal Bigness from Bottom to Top: When cut, if vigorous, the Stalks will spring out again from the Stubs, immediately below where the Scythe parted them; which makes them the sooner ready for another Mowing; an Advantage which no other Grass has.

It has a Tap-root that penetrates deeper into the Bowels of the Earth, than any other Vegetable she produces.

Tho’ one Luserne-root be much more taper than another towards the upper Part of it, ’tis sometimes seen, that a single ho’d Plant of it has many of these perpendicular Roots, some of them springing out from the very Branches of its Crown.

Its Roots are abundantly longer than the Roots of St. Foin: I have One that measures very near Two Inches Diameter: Those which are higher than the Ground have a Bark like a Tree. Upon this account, and by its Stalks springing again just below the Place where cut off, and by the woody Hardness of its Stalks, when they stand too long without cutting, it seems that Luserne is of a Nature nearly approaching to that of a Shrub.

Luserne is the only Hay in the World that can pretend to excel or equal St. Foin. I have known Instances of the pinguefying Virtue of this Medica Hay, that come up to the highest Encomiums given it by the Romans; which being to the Vulgar incredible, I forbear to relate, but leave to be confirm’d by the Experience of others, when it becomes frequent in England.

Luserne in Grass is much sweeter than St. Foin, or any other artificial or natural Grass. This, when ho’d, may be given to Cattle cut green, for Six Months; but then Care must be taken to prevent their Swelling by its Lusciousness, and not to give them too much at once, until they be accustom’d to it.

The Swelling of Cattle by eating too much green Luserne, Clover, or Turnep-leaves, happens only to such as chew the Cud, because they swallow more in less Time than other Cattle do; and a large Quantity of such luscious Greens being swallow’d by a Beast, fermenting to a great Degree, heats and rarifies the internal Air, which by its Spring becoming too strong for that Column of the Atmosphere that enters at the Trachea, it presses the Lungs against the Thorax so closely, that the Weight of the external Column is not of Force to open their Vesicles, and then the Circulation of the Blood is stopt, and the Beast is strangled.

Most Farmers know how to prevent the Swelling, so that now-a-days it seldom happens; but when it does, there is an effectual way of curing it, if taken in Time: They cut a Hole into the Maw near the Back in a proper manner, whereat the rarified Air rushes out, and the Lungs again perform their Action of Respiration.

The Quantities of Luserne Seed annually imported, and sown without Success, not discouraging People from continuing its Importation, shews there is more need of a successful Way of Planting, than recommending it in England.

I shall take Notice of some of the Reasons why I conclude there is no Hope of making any Improvement by planting it in England, in any manner practis’d by the Antients or Moderns.

I wonder how any one should attempt to plant it here, who has seen in Columella, and other Authors, the Description of the manner the old Romans planted it in. They chose out the very best Land, that was both pinguis and putris; they dung’d and till’d it to the greatest Perfection, and laid it out in Beds, as we do for Onions or Asparagus; they sow’d it very thick, for that miserable Reason of enabling it by its Thickness the better to kill the Grass. The Beds being harrow’d very fine before Sowing, which was in the End of April; the Seed required to be speedily cover’d, lest the Sun’s Heat should spoil it. But with what Instrument must it be cover’d? For, after Sowing, the Place must not be touch’d with Iron. At medica obruitur non aratro, sed ligneis rastellis. ‘Medica-feed is cover’d, not with the Plough, but with little (or rather light) wooden Harrows.’ Two Days Work (of a Team) were spent on this Harrowing of one Acre. Some time after it came up, they scratch’d it again and again with the same wooden Instruments: This was call’d Sarrition: Then by Runcation they weeded it over and over, Ne alterius generis herba invalidam medicam perimat. ‘Lest other Grass should kill it whilst it was weak.’ The First Crop they let stand till some of the Seed shatter’d, to fill the Ground yet fuller of Plants: After that they might cut it as young as they pleas’d; but must be sure to water it often after cutting. Then after a few Days, when it began to spring, they repeated their Runcation: and so continuing to weed out all manner of Grass for the First Two or Three Years, it used to bring Four or Six Crops a Year, and last Ten Years.

English Gardeners make Forty Pounds of an Acre of Asparagus, or Cabbage-plants, with half the Labour and Expence that was bestow’d on an Acre of Roman Medica.

We know not the Price Hay and Grass were at in Italy, while the Roman Empire was in its Glory, and Rome, then the Metropolis of the World, drew the Riches of all Parts thither; its Price must be then very high.

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.