184 REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURE OF PERTHSHIRE. 



plants suffer from the want of shelter that ryegrass affords them ; 

 and it is found safer to sow two pecks of ryegrass with clover, 

 and not trust the clover alone. To get the advantage of clover, 

 it must be cut and cattle soiled in the house. Were cattle 

 pastured on it, the same number could not be kept, probably not 

 more than one-half; but, in addition, the land will not derive 

 the same benefit from the clover, if pastured. This assertion 

 may seem strange, almost paradoxical, to those whose attention 

 has not been directed to the subject ; for it is natural to sup- 

 pose that the land must be more enriched by the manuring of the 

 cattle than if it does not receive that advantage ; but the truth 

 is, that red clover is a plant that draws much of its nourishment 

 from the air, and its tap-root fed and increased greatly through 

 the leaves. It must, therefore, be allowed to grow up with a 

 certain foliage before it is cut ; and after being cut it must again 

 be allowed to throw out leaves, and acquire a vigorous second 

 growth before it is again cut ; and by such treatment the root, 

 which is the source of fertility to after crops, will grow to per- 

 fection. By pasturing, on the contrary, the leaves are being 

 constantly cut over, and the plant nibbled and injured, so that 

 the root attains only very small size, and imparts a correspond- 

 ingly less degree of vegetable admixture to the soil when 

 broken up for a grain crop. On the other hand, the clover 

 should not be allowed to grow too old and woody and go much 

 to bloom, for its vigour will be impaired, and it will start 

 much more slowly for its second growth. As to the straw 

 for summer. At present there can be no doubt that straw 

 in the Carse is much wasted, and with proper attention there 

 should be abundance for clover summer soiling. Under the 

 present system there are only five months for breaking it down 

 into dung, and as it is more than the cattle are able to do, 

 it is left about the passages and roads, where it will at least 

 become wet, although it may not be much the better of its 

 wetting. Straw by itself is poor manure; it truly should be 

 regarded as a sponge or medium for containing and accumulating 

 enriching animal matter, to be rotted by the action and heat of 

 the animal substance ; but many Carse farmers have believed 

 the contrary, and certainly they have been encouraged in the 

 belief by their landlords and factors, and by the leases they have 

 been called on to sign. If they ever read these sometimes rather 

 lengthy documents, they would find that they lay themselves 

 open to all the penalties of the law by the abstraction of a stone 

 of straw, while there is no provision made for the application of 

 the crops that could make the straw into valuable manure by 

 consuming them along with it. One would suppose, from read- 

 ing any ordinary lease, that both landlord and factor thought 

 that if they bound the tenant to keep the straw on the land, 



