[197]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.
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.