202 



1^0 land will make a good meadow unless the soil is sufficiently deep 

 to allow the roots of the grasses to run down out of the reach of the 

 summer heat, and sufficiently retentive to hold water long enough to con- 

 tribute to the growth of the plant, together with such an absorbent sub- 

 stratum as will drain the moisture away before putrefaction takes place. 

 Land of this description, therefore, should never be laid down to grass, 

 unless it can be made retentive by the application of lime, clay, chalk, or 

 other fossil manures that can be procured on or near the spot, especially 

 marl. 



Besides these considerations, there are other circumstances of very 

 jnaterial moment in the laying down of lands for meadow pasture. At- 

 tention to early growth is of great importance, especially as, from a 

 variety of unforeseen accidents, the most careful farmer may not always 

 have a stock of food adequate to the consumption of his cattle. The 

 seasons must ever produce great variableness in the forwardness or the 

 backwardness of grass crops. The early grasses appear to be most 

 coveted by cattle, and they will naturally thrive best on that which is 

 most agreeable to their palate, so that an early bite, and earlj^ hay- 

 making, and the consequent early use of the after-grass, are very impor- 

 tant objects to the farmer. 



An acquaintance with the peculiar soils, and relative hardiness of 

 grasses is another requisite, Avithout which no good meadow can be 

 formed; and this can only be derived from actual experiment. Some 

 grasses are less able to endure moisture than others, and of course 

 flourish best in dry and upland situations ; while others are totally unfit 

 for dry soils, but vegetate luxuriantly in moist land ; and a third class 

 areonly fit for the most barren lands, and such as are unable to support 

 any other kind of grass. Of the first description, are the smooth-stalked 

 poa, smooth-stalked meadow grass, sainfoin, &c. Of the second, are the 

 rough-stalked poa, or meadow grass, the flote fox tail and flote fescue, 

 water pea or meadow grass, &c. And to the third belong the sheep's 

 fescue, the hard fescue, &c. 



An eminent English agriculturist, Arthur Young, recommended the 

 following sorts of grass seeds for the diflferent soils, and the quantity 

 per acre affixed to each sort : 



Clayey Soils. — Cow grass, three quarts ; cock's foot, two quarts ; 

 dog's tail, four quarts ; fescue, eight quarts ; oat grass, two quarts; tre- 

 foil, three pounds; Yorkshire white, one peck; timothy, four pounds. 



