REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 69 



Caustic lime applied to the shallow-drained damp grass lands 

 would certainly tend much to neutralize the sourness of soil, and 

 to exterminate the sedges and other aquatic plants; and still 

 mure beneficial if in connection with a deepening of the drains. 

 Twenty or twenty-five years ago, and for long previous, liming 

 was carried on very largely in Ayrshire. It would not be 

 difficult to point out now many farms which have been to a 

 certain extent, ruined by lime — that is, by excessive quantities 

 of it applied during the first ; >U or 4'j years of this century, and 

 such applications followed up by a most exhaustive mode of 

 cropping. Severe cropping after lime is very hurtful on any 

 soil, but upon poor, wet clays, it is actually ruinous. Three 

 successive white crops, besides the never-absent ryegrass 

 seed one, were far from being uncommon ; and such deplor- 

 able fanning is even yet occasionally seen. Large doses of 

 lime laid on now upon these lands would probably do as 

 much harm as good. They require first to be thoroughly re- 

 novated with farm-yard manure, better drained where needful, 

 and then stimulated with moderate allowance of lime. The 

 frequency and abundance of the common daisy in many very 

 bare pastures evidences a sufficiency of calcareous matter. Al- 

 though there is now a large and constant demand by the iron- 

 furnaces, yet no county in the kingdom lias better supply of 

 lime, and it can be had for about 9s. per ton, in shell, laid down 

 at any railway station, or within a mile or two of almost every 

 farm in the shire. 



Much is talked now and again about 'permanent grass, but 

 we think that in most of the inward parts of Ayrshire, from 6 to 

 9 years under grass will be found permanent enough to be pro- 

 fitable. By all means, however, let the Ayrshire farmers have 

 move, permanent meadow land, for one cutting of hay and grazing 

 after. Fodder for the cows must be had, and of course the 

 grass must be broken up in regular rotation of time to supply 

 that; but the grass land should be allowed to lie as long as 

 possible, and no greater extent of grain ciops grown than 

 absolutely essential. The farmers should economise their 

 fodder by the use of the chaff-cutter, and their roots as well by 

 giving more compound meal, molasses, &c, and increase their 

 fodder crops by laying out " irrigation meadows," and doing 

 away with " seed hay." 



There are considerable extents of wild meadow land in- 

 terspersed throughout the high lying districts. The hay 

 secured from the more marshy kind consists in great part of 

 jointed rushes or " spretts," along with other very innutritions 

 plants, yet it is of great service to the partly or wholly stock- 

 farmer as winter fodder, and very many of the upland farmer 

 depend almost entirely for their winter keep upon bog-hay, 



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