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II. — On Breaking up Pastures. By C. Belchee. 



Prize Essay. 



In treating of breaking up of pasture and its subsequent 

 management as arable land I venture to offer my own ideas. 

 I do not presume to think that I shall be able to lay down 

 any new rules, or recommend any course that will be applicable 

 to every case that may arise. All that I can do is to state the 

 results of my experience and observation, with some informa- 

 tion which has been kindly given to me by friends engaged, 

 as I am, in farming. I shall also avoid the use of scientific 

 geological terms, in referring to the various soils I may have 

 occasion to mention, and merely describe them as they are 

 spoken of by farmers and their labourers, believing that state- 

 ments easily understood, and clearly given, and directions of a 

 plain and practical character, best accord with the object of this 

 Journal and the wishes of its Directors. Classing various soils 

 under three heads, viz., Heavy, Medium, and Light Land, I pro- 

 pose to describe in this order different modes of breaking up and 

 cropping, which I consider most advantageous in ordinary cases. 

 Peculiar circumstances sometimes exist which render ordinary 

 rules inapplicable : unless these receive special consideration the 

 promise of success will often result in loss and disappointment. 



In all cases I shall presume that, as a preliminary, the land has 

 been well and wisely drained. Although some practical farmers 

 still hold that grass-land as such may possibly be injured by 

 draining, no such doubt applies to arable, except on the score of 

 excessive outlay. 



Clay Land. — The first case we have to consider is the break- 

 ing up of grass on clay or stony loam. On such land the her- 

 bage is generally of a coarse character, with here and there tufts 

 and patches of rough grass which cattle will seldom eat, and 

 never thrive upon. Occasionally the turf is thin, and there is an 

 absence of the long coarse grass. 



Towards the end of February the breast-plough should be set 

 vigorously to work on the turf, that the drying winds of March 

 may make it ready for the fire. Harrowing must precede the 

 burning ; twice over will generally suffice. Let the fires be 

 made at equal distances, and not very far apart. The burners 

 Avill, for their own convenience, generally attend to these points, 

 especially if the work is done, as it should be, by measure 

 and contract.* As soon as the heaps are charred through, let 



* Breast-ploughing and burning usually costs from twenty to twenty-five 

 shillings per acre ; this price includes spreading the ashes. 



