Oil the Manuring of Grass Land. 229 



during the ichole season of (jroxoth, and any loss of time in this 

 case is loss of quantity. Early growth is secured by having all 

 the elements of nutrition thoroughly incorporated with the soil 

 amongst the roots of the grasses, in such a state of decom- 

 position that they can be taken up by the roots as soon as the 

 temperature of the earth and the air stimulate the plants into 

 activity. That this occurs very early is certain, for by the follow- 

 ing table we perceive that many of the grasses reach maturity in 

 May, and most of them Ijefore the middle of June, and therefore 

 we may safely assume that the manure should be well incorpo- 

 rated with the soil (not lying upon its surface), and suiFicicntly 

 decomposed there to act efficiently in the middle of March. But 

 what does this involve ? It involves no less than the change of 

 the solid and insoluble matters applied as manure into soluble 

 salts and gases, and the removal of these from the surface by 

 water into the soil and into contact with the grass roots, which 

 absorb and use them as they have need. This is not the work ot 

 a day, nor a week, nor a month even, but probably not less than 

 two or three months are required to bring manures of moderate 

 solubility into contact with the absorbents of the roots in the 

 state in Avhich they can be taken up. And when the manure 

 contains much unreduced fibre, or is not readily soluble, it cannot 

 be applied too early in autuum or winter, if it be intended to pro- 

 mote and sustain growth during the icliole of the following season. 

 Two other considerations lead us to the same conclusion. 

 Vegetable physiologists and good gardeners agree that trees 

 should be transplanted as early as possible, that they may make 

 root during icinter, and he ready for a good start in sjning. i he 

 market-gardener plants his cabbages at the first opportunity, well 

 knowing that the roots made in autumn and winter are indispen- 

 sable to early growth in spring. If we take up the newly 

 planted tree or cabbage-plant in February, we shall find that it 

 has been constantly active, and has made a large quantity of new 

 roots, although no token of activity has been visible above 

 ground. It has not grown in the common sense of the word, but 

 it has prepared to grow directly light and heat sufficient are fur- 

 nished by the sun. Is it not probable that the same root growth 

 takes place in the grass-field, though we behold no outward token 

 of it, and that in favourable circumstances the grass has made 

 ready for its spring start as well as the bush or the cabbage ? 

 And if so, is it not further probable that when the stimuli of 

 growth, light, and heat, are comparatively absent, this root for- 

 mation is much facilitated and furthered by having at hand, in 

 assimilable compounds, the materials of nutrition V The Mid- 

 dlesex hay-farmer thinks so, for he supplies his already rich land 

 with fresh elements of fertility in October or November, and 

 even though it should be proved that he is not acquainted with 



