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part of which was sand, has from the peeuhar union of grasses, and a 

 plentiful supply of water, fattened bullocks of one hundred and sixty- 

 stone (dead weight) and wintered two sheep per acre. 



A soil consisting of a mixture of the three principal earths, has been 

 found to have, on a yard square, twenty-two distinct species, and eleven 

 hundred distinct roots of individual plants. These are the constituents 

 of the soil in the grazing districts of Lincolnshire and Somerset. 



The result of these inquiries is, that tillage land can now be converted 

 into permanent pasture for fattening and dairy purposes in the course of 

 two years, on almost any variety of soil, in the humid and temperate 

 climate of England. Of course the seed must be selected properly for 

 the sort of land and the elevation, so that there may be a succession of 

 seedmg from April to November. In sowing grass seeds for a perma- 

 nency, it should be on lands properly cleaned and prepared for the pur- 

 pose, without any admixture or any grain crop, which is sure to injure 

 the succeeding crops of grass more than can be obtained by cutting the 

 grain. A crop of grain acts towards the grasses more injuriously than 

 a crop of weeds would do towards the grain. The soil for grass seeds 

 should be particularly clean from weeds, as manure when applied to it 

 makes no distinction between those plants that are wanted and those that 

 are not wanted. It will invigorate all. 



It may be observed, that land intended for grass ought to be that in 

 which it will spontaneously thrive and flourish ; consequently, if there is 

 too much moisture, the grass will be injured by frost and rain, and will 

 soon be superceded by rushes, and other aquatic plants ; and on the other 

 hand, if the soil is too dry, the grasses will be killed by the intense heat 

 of summer, and will be succeeded by mosses, fern, &c. It might be 

 supposed that this could be remedied by sowing such land with better 

 grasses; and to a certain extent, that may be done; but experience has 

 nevertheless proved, that all land has a tendency to re-produce those 

 plants which are indigenous to the soil — and that, after a few years, vary- 

 ing according to the care and attention that have been bestowed upon the 

 cultivation, the natural productions will supercede those which have been 

 artificially sown. This is one of the strongest reasons assigned by Eng- 

 lish landlords, when they object to their tenants breaking up their old 

 meadow lands, for it is one of the most difficult and uncertain operations 

 cf husbandry to reproduce it, from land newly laid down. 



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