16 Brealiwg up Pastures. 



can be adopted ; and I do so because experience, observation, 

 and extensive inquiry over a large district, confirm my opinion 

 on this point. Many persons have endeavoured to prove, and 

 perhaps have clearly show^n by experiment, that nearly all vege- 

 table matter loses some of its A'aluable properties when subjected 

 to fire, and that a greater amount of manure is produced by 

 gradual decay. Still, it must not be forgotten that by burning 

 turf, time is gained, and a strong stimulant is secured in the first 

 year for the fundamental crop of turnips, which, being forced to 

 early maturity and great bulk, will probably give back to the 

 land as manure a far greater amount of valuable matter than can 

 have been dissipated by the burning. Ashes also act mechanic- 

 ally, and on strong clay-soils cause an advantageous separation of 

 the earthy particles, and also make the soil more dry and healthy 

 for sheep Avhen folded thereon. 



Let me suggest to clay-land farmers an inexpensive experi- 

 ment — that in breaking up pasture on a strong clay-soil they 

 should take the opportunity of clod-burning, as practised in some 

 parts of Worcestershire * with marked success. The dried 

 turf would, I believe, with the addition of a small quantity of 

 coal, provide sufficient fuel to burn very large quantities of clay, 

 and thus secure the benefit of a heavy dose of burned soil, with 

 comparatively slight increase of cost. 



I will now endeavour to meet the objections that I anticipate 

 Avill be raised against my proposals for cropping newly-broken 

 land. 



It may be said that new land will yield many corQ-crops in 

 succession, and therefore to plant the less profitable green crops 

 at first would be to reject a benefit Avhen within our reach. 

 Unfortunately for much land in England, and I think I may add 

 unfortunately for many tenants also, the exhaustive system of 

 cropping is too well known and too frequently practised to render 

 "it necessary for me to give any instruction on that head. The 

 plans for cropping suggested by me are such as I consider likely 

 to raise the fertility of the various soils, instead of lowering them ; 

 and I cannot believe that any system that has a tendency to 

 reduce the standard of fertility, can possibly work for the benefit 

 of any class for a lengthened period. Surely the farming of 

 England cannot be right, unless year by year English land is 

 increasing in fruitfulness. There has been, and there still is, 

 a strong prejudice on the part of owners against breaking up 

 pasture ; and if we may judge by what has been done with newly 

 broken-up land in many places, the objectors have full and 



* 'Journal of Royal Agricultural Society,' Vol. v. p. 113 ; also Vol. xxiv. part 

 2, page 540. 



