112 ox THE MANAGEMENT OF GRASS LANDS IN ENGLAND. 



few of them add. to the value of the pasture as used either in 

 grazing or in winterage, and could be dispensed with with 

 advantage. 



"We are thus entering into these details, because the luxuriance 

 and continuous summer verdure of the best grazing lands are 

 notable, and where the accredited selection of grasses pre- 

 vails, the fields have a closeness and thickness of sward, that 

 might be attained on the mixed rotation soils of Scotland. The 

 meadows of which we are speaking only take a secondary place 

 in relation to soil and herbage, and they have l^eeu depastured 

 with a cow stock which do not add to their wealth, and having 

 been mowed twice every three years, has a still farther deterior- 

 ating result. Theorists have recommended the emplo^Tiient of 

 the spud to clear such fields of the objectionable weeds, but the 

 labour attending this operation, owing to their number and 

 nature, would be endless, and the process could not be an}i:hing 

 but incomplete. "Where they have obtained large possession of 

 the soil there seems no remedy, but paring and burning, and 

 continued tillage till the last are gone. One remedial measure, 

 acknowledged on all hands, is the feeding of the grass by dung 

 or compost, which never fails to bring up finer and often stronger 

 grasses, and which, by smothering and otherwise, discards much 

 of the coarse herbage. Seedsmen, when directing about the 

 laying of meadows, enjoin the picking out of the weeds when 

 they appear. This looks more rational than the spudding of 

 the old pastures, but even this could never be completely accom- 

 plished. 



"We have said that the half of the plants in these meadows 

 are weeds, but it must not be inferred that the half of the herb- 

 age consumed by the stock are weeds, or the hay that is mowed 

 twice in three years. Among the strongest plants, and those that 

 contribute largely to the bulk of the hay crop, may be named 

 soft brome grass, a variety that preponderates, crested dogstail, 

 timothy, cocksfoot, the yellow oat grass, sheep's fescue, sweet 

 vernal, red and white clover, and ryegrass. The ryegrass is 

 * not popular with some heav}^ land farmers ; but its hardiness 

 leads to the large use of it when laying down with seeds. In 

 our observations we never failed to trace some of it in the per- 

 manent meadows of the south, but it is always a dwarfish plant 

 compared with that grown under rotation, which is no doubt 

 owing to the crowding in natural pastures. Sheep's fescue is not 

 much of a food, and plantain is not worth the space it occupies. 

 Mr Maclaren speaks more favourably of annual meadow than 

 Mr Sinclair when testing its nutritive extract. It comes away 

 pretty early to cover from drought, and recovers soon when 

 the pastures are burnt up ; so in favourable seasons it \ields 

 much succulent food through the spring, summer, and autumn. 



