The Improvement of Pasture Land in Wales 



35 



of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1869. 

 He there observes that the condition under 

 which ammonia, lime, and phosphates act 

 beneficially upon vegetation, are far better 

 understood than those under which nitrates, 

 or salts of potash, may be applied to the land 

 with advantage. And he states that he 

 carried on these experiments with the view 

 of affording to the practical farmer the 

 means of judging for 'himself when he might 

 with advantage employ nitrate of soda or 

 potash manures. The results of these experi- 

 ments invariably went to shew that the 

 benefit to permanent pastures from each of 

 the last named, applied separately, was so 

 small as not to encourage their use. Of all 

 the manures he experimented with, a mixture, 

 half and half of Peruvian guano and mineral 

 superphosphate gave by far the great- 

 est results. In the last number of the Jour- 

 nal oi^}^^. Royal Agricultural Society just pub- 

 lished, there is a very able article on the man- 

 agement of grass lands, from the pen of Mr H. 

 S. Thompson of York; and if the combination 

 of chemicl substances used by him would pro- 

 duce the same wonderful results in general use 

 (for he states that it is applicable to both heavy 

 and light land), it will prove an important dis- 

 covery, although a rather expensive manure. 

 And it appears that Professor Voelcker now 

 recommends nearly the same combination. 

 It is — I cvvt. nitrate of soda, 2 cwt. mineral 

 superphosphate, and 3 cwt. of kainit per acre, 

 the cost being about 42s. There can be no 

 doubt as to the excellence of this manure as 

 an application to grass lands. I should, how- 

 ever, like to try alongside of it the mixture of 

 Peruvian guano and mineral superphosphate, 

 half and half, 4 cwt. of which would come to 

 rather less money, or as I think better still 

 to substitute pure dissolved bones for the 

 mineral superphosphate. A dressing of lime 

 and earth at intervals of six or eight years 

 will be found very beneficial on most pastures, 

 especially if at the same time a sprinkling of 

 perennial seed is bush-harrowed in, such as 

 white clover, alsike, cocksfoot, that is, 

 Dactylis glomerata, perennial ryegrass, mea- 

 dow fescue, perennial cowgrass, and trefoil, 

 &c. 



MOWING MEADOW FOR HAY : ARABLE AND 

 GRASS LAND. 



A nice pasture upon which I wintered 

 several two-year-old colts, the winter before 

 last, was so cut up by their galloping and 

 racing about that it looked almost as if 

 ploughed, and I feared it was injured for 

 years ; I however took the opportunity of 

 bush-harrowing in a sprinkling of suitable 

 grass seed and rolling, and it now presents 

 an appearance of rich herbage, among which 

 I identify those sown quite superior to what 

 it was before. I need scarcely say, that 

 where irrigation can be availed of it should 

 not be neglected, and in this country of 

 springs and uneven surface, water may 

 often be turned on and oif the surface 

 by a little contrivance. Meadows that 

 are mown for hay should, if they are to 

 maintain their productiveness, have a coat 

 of good farm-yard dung for every crop 

 taken from them, which for this and most 

 other purposes is the best of all manures. 

 Lime or lime and earth may be usefully sub- 

 stituted every sixth or eighth year. It is not 

 an uncommon usage to mow a crop of hay 

 every other year, and to graze the intervening 

 year, without returning anything or but little 

 to the land. This is a good deal the case 

 where the grass is let for the season or year. 

 It is a sure means of deterioration, and will 

 shew itself soonest on light soils. The bright 

 green spots of grass here and there over 

 the field, where the dung or urine of 

 the cattle has dropped, tell plainly enough 

 what manure is wanted. Even our very 

 best and richest grass lands require attention, 

 not only to keep them clean from docks, 

 thistles, nettles, and other weeds, but to re- 

 novate and fertilize according to the draft 

 upon them. If not mown for hay, they may 

 require a dressing of bones, or such manures 

 as I just now named. We have some grass 

 lands, which, with the same attention be- 

 stowed upon them, would be perhaps equal 

 to any in the kingdom. Would they were 

 more extensive ! They are to be found on 

 the alluvial lands here and there skirting 

 our coast, and at the bottom of our beauti- 



