STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 749 



patch in tillage, and I am enabled to state, from observation, that 

 in this extensive tract of permanent-grass the occupiers depend 

 almost wholly on the excrement of their cattle for maintaining 

 the fertility of their land. Whilst in some of the corn-growing 

 districts the farmers purchase guano or other extra manure, at the 

 rate of 20s. per acre over the wiiole of their holdings, by far the 

 majority of those in the district I am speaking of (from which a 

 continued deportation of cattle and also of dairy produce takes 

 place), depend wholly for manure on the excrement from their 

 stock, and do not replenish with extra materials. 



As my own treatment of permanent grass differs materially 

 from this, I proceed to describe it and its results. 



My meadows, from their high condition, preserve their verdure 

 through winter; during the month of March, and up to the first 

 week in May, they afford excellent pasturage for ewes with their 

 lambs, of which they carry at the rate of four per acre till the 

 first week of May. Some portion is left untouched by sheep for 

 early soiling, which I usually commence about the 26th of May. 



From the 20th to the 30th of June my mowing for the main 

 crop of hay usually takes place. The aftermath is again cut 

 either for soiling or for aftermath hay, so that each meadow is 

 mown twice during the season. After the second mowing a nice 

 aftermath grows, which serves for the next year's ewes, which 

 are bought early in October, and turned on the meadows 

 together with tlieir ram. Soon after the groimd is clear, the 

 weather being suitable (I prefer it cluudy or wet), the fresh 

 excrement from the tanks under the tails of the animals is carted 

 on and dressed in. The whole of my meadow land get? a dress- 

 ing of this once a year. The excrement is quite free from straw. 

 I formerly procured peat soil to mix with it to neutralize the 

 smell; but am at present using for that purpose scrapings which 

 are carted on, free of charge, by the conservators of tlie roads. 

 IJoth for soiling and as aftermath the grass thus dressed is eaten 

 with relish. 



I find little difficulty in getting manure of this kind into the 

 ground. During warm, moist weather, when the absorbent pow- 

 ers of the S(jil are in full activity, the whole dressing soon disap- 

 pears. I have known the cockslbot-grass, the property of which 



