On the Manuring of Grass Land. 223 



Stockhardt,* generalizing Avhat was known up to the time of his 

 writing, estimates the nitrogen of hay at 1"4 per cent, of dry 

 meadow grass (hay and aftermath). Taking Boussingault's esti- 

 mate of the water in hay, 11 per cent., and deducting 616 lbs. 

 from 5600 lbs., we have 4984 lbs. as the crop of dry hay. The 

 nitrogen in this is 69*77 lbs., corresponding to 129'51bs. of am- 

 monia. 



Liebig says,t " According to the best analyses, it may be assumed 

 that meadow hay contains 1 per cent, of nitrogen, consequently 

 100 parts of nitrogen are contained in 100,000 parts of hay." 

 All his calculations are made upon this basis. Upon this as- 

 sumption our grass-crop removes 56 lbs. of nitrogen^ correspond- 

 ing to 104 lbs. of ammonia. 



Liebig has applied this subject so well, that I shall take ad- 

 vantage of his words : — 



" From a given surface of land we reajj, in different cultivated crops, 

 according to the analyses which have been made, very unequal quantities of 

 nitrogen. If we assume that the amount of nitrogen, reaped from an acre of 

 land in the form of grain and straw, is in the case of rye represented by 100 

 parts by weight, then the same surface, one acre, yields of nitrogen, — 



In Oats 114 parts. 



Barley 116 „ 



Wheat 118 „ 



Meadow hay 121 „ ."J 



Farmers ought to reflect very seriously upon this statement. 

 Their hay-crop removes from tlieir land (and of course requires 

 for growth) more nitrogen than rye, oats, barley, or wheat, upon 

 Avhich they bestow their ammoniacal compounds with an abun- 

 dant and ungrudging hand. It is surely worth while — nay, it is 

 a duty to themselves, their landlords, and their country — to deal 

 with grass as they have dealt and are dealing with corn. Tlie 

 return will not be found inferior. 



Having thus realized what is required, we may proceed to 

 inquire into its sources of supply — the soil and manure. 



A very general impression among farmei's is, that the fine, 

 dark, stoneless soil found immediately below turf is formed by 

 the decay of roots and grass plants which have died, and that this 

 forms a manure-bed in which future crops may flourish. If this 

 were so, it is nearly impossible to imagine the enormous crops 

 which must of necessity be produced upon every acre of grass 

 which grew upon a stratum of matter thus formed, but a single 

 inch in thickness. We receive it as a principle in agriculture, 

 that the remains of a crop produced by decay form the best 



* ' Chemistry of Agriculture," by Henfrey, 1855, p. 292. 

 t Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, vol. xvii., p. 300. 

 ^ X See also Table from Stockhart, p. 239. 



