way. In the month of October following, a most prodigious crop of annual
weeds of many kinds having grown up, were in bloom, and covered the
ground and the sown grasses; the whole was then mowed and carried off
the land, and by this management all the annual weeds were at once
destroyed, as they do not spring again if cut down when in bloom. Thus,
whilst the stalks and roots of the annual weeds were decaying, the sown
grasses were getting strength during the fine weather, and what few
perennial weeds were amongst them were pulled up by hand in their young
state. The whole land was repeatedly rolled, to prevent the worms and
frost from throwing the plants out of the ground; and in the following
spring it was grazed till the latter end of March, when it was left for
hay, and has ever since continued a good field of grass.

"Several meadows at Roehampton, belonging to the late B. Goldsmid, Esq.,
were laid down with two bushels of Meadow fescue-grass and fifteen
pounds of mixed Clover, and sown in the spring along with one peck and a
half of Barley, intended as a shade to the young grasses. The crop was
thus suffered to grow till the latter end of June, and then the corn,
with the weeds, was mowed and carried off the land; the ground was then
rolled, and at the end of July the grasses were so much grown as to
admit good grazing for sheep, which were kept thereon for several weeks.
It should be observed, that the corn is to be mowed whilst in bloom, and
when there is an appearance of, or immediately after rain; which will be
an advantage to the grasses, and occasion them to thrive greatly.

"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