HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 333 



securely preserved in the turf while the plants themselves were 

 burning. 



In the Essays published by the Board of Agriculture (Commu- 

 nications, vol. iv.), a variety of facts are brought forward, which 

 go to prove the great increase of value which these pastures are 

 capable of receiving by a proper mode of converting them into 

 tillage. 



Mr. Stephen Kershaw states, in his experiments, the increase 

 of value in thin-skinned warren, when converted into tillage by 

 previously paring and burning, to be from thirteen pence per acre, 

 the original value, to six or eight shillings per acre. 



Mr. Wright, of Pickworth, after describing several failures in 

 attempting to convert " a tract of poor light barren heath by the 

 ordinary mode of breaking up with the plough, states the complete 

 success which attended his endeavours on another tract of the 

 same soil by paring and burning." This ground, Mr. Wright 

 says, " produced an excellent quality of turnips, value 21. 10s. per 

 acre. I afterwards," continues he, " sowed with barley on one 

 ploughing in March ; the crop was estimated at five quarters per 

 acre throughout the piece ; clearing to me as much in one year, 

 as it would have done in pasturage, in its original state, in a cen- 

 tury." ^ — Mr. Wright recommends the following course of crops : 

 — First year, pare and burn, and sow with turnips ; second year, 

 barley ; immediately after the barley crop plough once, and 

 liarrow in winter tares, to be mown for soiling stock of all kinds 

 on the same ground, which may be begun about the third week of 

 May, and continue till the seed in the pod is nearly ripe, perhaps 

 in July; what then remains unconsumed may be made into 

 excellent hay. After this, on one ploughing to sow turnips, with 

 or without manuring. After the turnips, barley v/ith grass-seeds, 

 either to remain one, or many years. 



Mr. Legard, of Gratton, observes, that paring and burning, 

 when regard is had to subsequent cropping, is advantageous, 

 because it generally ensures a crop of turnips, the foundation of 

 all good husbandry ; and in light soils, the advantage of eating 

 the turnip crop upon the land is very great, and should therefore 

 be invariably practised. 



Otiier statements, equally satisfactory, might be brought for- 

 ward, but they all agree in principle — to break up dry rough 

 ■sandy pastures by paring and burning ; white crops seldom, at 

 the most one white to two green crops. In the preparation of 



