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Tlie Country Gefttleman*s Magazine 



themselves. I should say that on all soils 

 after draining, a dressing of lime, or, still bet- 

 ter, of lime and earth, is the most suitable 

 application, as there will invariably be more 

 or less inert vegetable matter to be brought 

 'into action; and as the sour aquatic herbage 

 will die out, having lost its congenial ele- 

 ment, that a sowing of suitable grass seeds 

 should be at the same time bush-harrowed 

 into the surface. I would never plough or 

 break the surface of any grass land, either 

 newly-drained or naturally dry, although foul 

 with rushes^ docks, or other trash, if it could 

 be reclaimed without it ; for the close sward 

 of turf (proof against the tread of cattle that 

 if ploughed would poach it) will require years 

 to be renewed, and the temptation to take 

 several crops of corn may end in exhaustion, 

 and its not returning to permanent grass at all. 

 But if the unevenness of the surface or 

 strength of the rushes, gorse, or other trash, 

 render it advisable to plough, I would not on 

 any consideration pare and burn the surface 

 turf, but having with a bill-hook or other tool 

 cleared the growth or trash which may be 

 burnt, would, with a strong wrought-iron 

 plough and sufficient power, turn over the 

 land, make the summer fallow to kill the roots 

 of v/eeds, and the following winter and spring 

 work it to a fine even surface. The soil, by 

 this process, will have become a turfy loam 

 full of organic matter — ^just such as the gar- 

 deners so much prize for making compost. 

 In this I would sow the suitable perennial 

 grass seed without taking a corn crop ; but if 

 a corn crop must be had, it should be sown 

 very thin. 



IMPROVING BOTH STOCK AND PASTURE. 



I will now assume that the grass lands aie 

 dry from having been drained or not requiring 

 it. They vary much, of course, in quality 

 and value, according to soil, aspect, altitude, 

 and other circumstances. I do not bring into 

 account the vast breadth of high precipitate 

 mountain land that is not improvable and is 

 only fit for sheep-walks. Now, I will first 

 speak of that large proportion of our grazing 

 lands upon which are reared and fed all 

 those two and three year old steers and 



heifers that crowd our fairs and are sold 

 and driven in innumerable herds out of the 

 country. These grass lands, we will say, are 

 of medium quality, though they vary, of 

 course, considerably. Now, let us consider 

 the improvement of this extensive class of 

 our pastures. I do not think that, they are 

 at all improved or raised in quality by the 

 continuous grazing of these young cattle, or 

 by sheep, without any other assistance, but 

 rather otherwise — that is, that they are in some 

 measure deteriorated by the exhaustion of the 

 phosphates and other elements abstracted to 

 supply the bone and muscle of these grow- 

 ing animals. Now, if instead of all these 

 two and coming three years old being sold 

 and driven out of the country, a proportion 

 of the freshest of them were kept and turned 

 on some of the best of these medium pastures, 

 and their grazing assisted with a little corn 

 and oilcake — beginning with a little at first, 

 and increasing the quantity gradually as they 

 improved in condition, so as to bring them 

 out fit for the butcher in July, August, and 

 September (just the time to command a good 

 price) — would not these pastures, by this 

 process, be raised in fertility, and gradually 

 become, in time, even capable of fattening 

 without such assistance, or, as a change, 

 would they not afford rich grazing for the 

 dairy cows ? And, at the same time, would 

 not the young cattle 'f&d off pay for their 

 corn and cake ? I have no doubt but that 

 they would, and leave a profit besides. I 

 quite believe that much of our grazing land 

 may be greatly improved by such process. 

 Turnips and other roots are sometimes carted 

 and scattered over these pastures as an assist- 

 ance in supporting sheep and cattle, and 

 will be of some advantage ; but lands grazed 

 without anything returned to them will re- 

 quire the elements abstracted renewed in 

 them ; and as farm-yard dung cannot be 

 spared for this- class of grass lands, they 

 may be supplied by superphosphate or 

 ground bones (which will be more slow 

 but m.ore lasting in effect). Professor Voel- 

 cker instituted during five or six years, a 

 number of field experiments on permanant 

 pastures, which he published in the Journal 



