2o0 On the Manuring of Grass Land. 



the reason of his practice, I should claim that practice as the 

 best of evidence in favour of the teachings of science. But the 

 Middlesex hay-farmer is not alone. Mr. Horsfall applies his 

 cowdung as soon as ever his land is clear and the weather is 

 favourable, and even testifies to the advantage of applying guano 

 in November. lie writes : — 



" In addition to this 3'early dressing Avith excrement, I apply guano at the 

 rate of 2 cwt. to each acre. I do this usually in the spring. I have, however, 

 thought that I derived equal, if not greater, benefit from its application in very 

 ■wet weather in November. The growth during March was sensibly greater 

 than on adjacent land on which the guano was not applied till April, and the 

 main crop of hay was certainly not less than on that dressed in April." 



A gentleman from Ireland writes me : — 



" My experience as to the time of application exactly coincides with Mr. 

 Horsfall's, that December is better than February for gnano and superjihos- 

 pliate. Almost all the manures 1 have tried in top-dressing pasture land, as 

 guano, superphosphate, and even saline manures, when applied in spring did 

 not show their full ett'ect until the autumn, whereas those applied in early 

 winter seemed to come into operation with the first burst of spi'ing, and to be 

 much more effectual." 



Another consideration tending to the same point, is the neces- 

 sity for early mowing, in order to obtain the largest crop of the 

 most nutritious and best-got hay. The superiority of June over 

 July for haymaking is unquestionable, and was well illustrated 

 last year in this neighbourhood. They who cut their hay in the 

 middle of June had it made, almost as fast as it could be cut, by 

 the hot dry weather which then prevailed. Hay secured before 

 the 27th of June was got without a drop of rain. On tlie con- 

 trary, that which was left unmown till the first or second week 

 in July was in the field for a fortnigiit or three weeks, was much 

 injured by the rain, and cost three or four times as much making 

 as the other. I know two instances of this upon lands situated 

 within half a mile of each other of about the same quality, and 

 yielding about the same crop. One almost made itself; the 

 other was turned, rocked, drenched with rain, opened, and re- 

 cocked, until the workpeople were tired of their occupation, and 

 yet both crops were manured with the same manure, applied in 

 the latter case about the beginning of March, in the former at 

 Christmas. When the hay was carried in one case, the other 

 had produced a good aftermath. 



By general consent the greatest weight of the most nutritious 

 hay is secured by uiowing when the grasses are in flower. The 

 plants at that time have the largest quantity of nourishment, and 

 the smallest quantity of woody fibre, which is consistent with an 

 adequate crop. The large variety of grasses in every pasture or 

 meadow assures us that the flowering season will vary ; that one 

 class may have shed its seed while another is flowering, and a 



