20 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



old and worn-out pastures, and after a year or two's 

 cropping laying them down again, is often attended 

 with much benefit ; it should not, however, bo done too 

 rashly, as grass takes many years to form a new bottom. 

 In lieu of breaking up, some people sow a good mixture 

 of grass seeds in spring, which brushed in with a slight 

 top-dressing of artificial manure will sometimes renovate 

 the face of the pasture. 



Draining. — Pastures should be well-drained where 

 the soil requires it. There are many old grass fields in 

 the country, covered with rushes and coarse herbage, 

 which if drained and manured would increase in value 

 three-fold. Surface drains or " gripples" are some- 

 times used, where the subsoil is porous. Although cheaper, 

 they are not nearly so effectual as underdrains, and sheep 

 are liable to get cast in them. 



Manure. — It is. imagined by some people that pas- 

 tures have no need of manure, except that left by the 

 cattle which consume the herbage. But the question 

 ought not to be " whether the land will do without ad- 

 ditional manure," but " whether such manure will 

 yield proportional profit ;" and I believe on most pas- 

 tures an occasional top-dressing would be advantageous. 

 Lime is an exceedingly good mendment, particularly 

 where the soil is deficient in calcareous matter : it 

 destroys the coarser grasses, and produces in their 

 place white clover and other fine grass. In Cheshire 



some years ago, the pastures that graze the dairy cows 

 were found to be sensibly deteriorating in value': the 

 dung left by the cattle did not seem to supply the neces- 

 sary element that was wanting. A chemist was appealed 

 to, and he happily suggested that as phosphate of lime 

 was continually being removed in the bones and milk of 

 cows, any manure that contained that ingredient might 

 be found beneficial; hence they first crushed bones, 

 which had the bi-fold result of improving both the 

 quantity and quality of the herbage to a remarkable de- 

 gree. On poor pastures lime, guano, and salt, wood 

 ashes, chalk, soot, super and nitro-phosphates of lime 

 have been used to great advantage. The bush-harrow 

 and the roll are often of great use in pasture as well as 

 in meadow ground. 



In conclusion, I would say, that in no branch of 

 farming is more industry, skill, and perseverance re- 

 quired than in grazing. Great judgment must be used in 

 selecting the description of animals most suited to the 

 soil, the number that can be conveniently carried by the 

 land, and the most economical way of disposing them : 

 constant attention must be paid to watch the first un- 

 favourable symptom, to change the food of the herd as 

 often as required, and to make the land produce as 

 much beef, mutton, and wool as possible, at the least 

 expense, in the shortest time, leaving the land in the 

 best condition. I. R. 



THE BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY. 



MEETING AT CARDIFF. 



Modern agriculture has this year resolved on a tho- 

 rough invasion of the Principality. Acting as it were 

 by some skilful arrangement, the two great leaders 

 of her forces attack the country from the cardinal 

 points of North and South. During next month the 

 Royal Agricultural Society of England will lay siege 

 to Chester, while the West of England Association has 

 already opened the campaign at Cardiff. Fully armed 

 and prepared for such an encounter — with all the aid 

 machinery can afford, backed by an ample store of 

 beeves and other provision, such an onslaught is not 

 easily to be withstood. Acting more, however, up to 

 her professions than many great Generals, Agriculture 

 comes really to benefit those plains she encanjps on. 

 The people, gradually appreciating her motive, gladly 

 take her at her word j and a wave of welcome an- 

 nounces a victory, that either side should lay equal 

 claim to. 



In thus extending the range of its operations, no one 

 will say but that the West of England Society was well 

 advised. It is, indeed, its especial privilege to be so. 

 Cardiff was just the place to break fresh ground on. 

 With its mineral wealth, its increasing commerce, its 

 home and outward traffic, Agriculture has come to 

 occupy here anything but the position that in these 

 times it should do. With many facilities of site, a 

 certain rough energy in its people, and plenty of spirit 

 amongst its leading men, the district still needed some 



little stirring up. The voice of authority was wanting to 

 show how far the land was good, and in how much 

 deficient. This has at length been supplied, and an 

 impressive lesson read that can never again be for- 

 gotten. 



In selecting such a place of meeting, the aim of the 

 Society can only be considered as most patriotic and 

 commendable. The advantage from the outset would 

 be clearly with those it visited. It was not a neigh- 

 bourhood to make '• a great show," in the now com- 

 mon acceptation of the term — that is, one better than 

 ever it has been. For many exhibiters and true fol- 

 lowers it was quite " out of the way." And this wo 

 have to record as the general character of the week's 

 proceedings. As a gathering of " the West of England " 

 the exhibition was clearly below the average of its re- 

 generation. There was scarcely a description of the 

 more important breeds of stock, as well represented as 

 they have been. Or, if one or two did excel, this was 

 mainly owing to local support, rather than to the as- 

 sociated strength of the Society's dominion. Again, 

 the implement business was by no means attended with 

 the customary bustle and interest. But there may bo 

 more reasons than one for this; and a certain slack- 

 ness and misunderstanding at Cardiff might have come 

 to pass, had the battle been fought in the Vale of Taun- 

 ton, or on Bristol Green. 



Still, every one who serves his country must bo pro- 



