THE FIRST AND FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IN AGRICULTURE. 5 



with few root leaves, and on its attaining the second or third 

 year becomes so weak, or dies altogether, that it will not pay to 

 top-dress it alone. It would, therefore, be necessary to sow along 

 with one bushel of rye-grass and ten pounds of clover per acre, 

 the following grasses, namely, four pounds meadow fescue, two 

 pounds hard fescue, four pounds cocks'-foot, two pounds Timothy, 

 and one pound crested dog's-tail. Top-dressing grass land with 

 artificial manures will then pay better than when applied to grain 

 crops or turnips. And I may mention that I have found bone meal 

 ancl sheep-feeding with corn and cake, &c., to answer well. It will 

 be seen, however, that the rotation system, as at present arranged, 

 puts a complete stop to this kind of farming by preventing the 

 proper use of natural grasses. Dr. Lawes has informed us that 

 under tillage there is a loss of nitrogen passing down through 

 the subsoil beyond the reach of plants, and away by the drains; 

 and is it not the fact that the great bulk of the manures used in 

 this country have been applied to the hare soil ?- Taking the 

 country, then, as a whole, the loss must be very great. Why 

 not apply the bulk of our purchased manures to our grass land ? 

 The nitrogen derived from these manures would then not only 

 be saved, but the most valuable fertiliser to all the other crops 

 of the farm would be improved in quantity and quality, in 

 accordance with the kinds and quantities of the manures applied. 

 This branch of agriculture is completely under the control of 

 the farmer; and, being so, it can be made to control all the 

 other crops of the farm. It is nature restored in an improved 

 condition. And, fortunately, there is no discord oti this point 

 between our scientific gentlemen and the farming community. 



Dr. Aitken says, at page 246 of the Transactimis of the High- 

 land and Agricultural Society for 1880 : — " It would seem, then, 

 by judicious . manuring alone the herbage of pasture land is, 

 within certain limits, capable of being controlled;" and at bottom 

 of page 244 of same Tra/nsactions he says : — " It has been ob- 

 served that nitrates lind their way more rapidly through the 

 soil, and come sooner in contact with the rootlets of deep rooting 

 plants such as grasses, and also that they eftect a marked change 

 in the character of the lower soil and subsoil, rendering it more 

 porous and pulverulent." Both these quotations are of the 

 highest value. It is an unerring truth that all land out of 

 condition is hard and bad to labour, and that land in high con- 

 dition is soft and mouldy and easy to labour. But the change in 

 the soil and subsoil, strictly speaking, is not effected by the nitro- 

 genous manures, but by the rootlets of the grasses and clovers 

 forcing their way down through the soil and subsoil. This causes 

 this marvellous change, for marvellous it is. Therefore, what- 

 ever fertilising agents are made use of to improve the quantity 

 and quality of grass land ell'ects this change in the soil. Thus, 

 the surface-soil is deepened and improved ; and, when such 



