386 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 



lated by the state of the turf. Consolidating the surface with a 

 heavy roller would be of infinite service, but the turf is often dis- 

 placed by the operation. A light bush-harrow, therefore, drawn 

 over the surface to cover the seeds, or rather to draw them into 

 the interstices of the turfs, followed by a light wooden roller, drawn 

 by men, in the same manner as the bush-harrow, will be found 

 the best mode of management. 



It is customary, when forming a water-meadow out of inert 

 peat-bogs, to throw the coarse surface (composed of sedges and 

 rushes chiefly) promiscuously together, to form the ridges ; but it 

 would surely be more advantageous to pare and burn a surface of 

 this nature, as it affords an abundance of excellent ashes ; and 

 without these, or a substitute perhaps of a more expensive nature, 

 to apply as a top-dressing, previous to sowing the seeds, soils of 

 this description remain for years in a state of comparative sterility. 

 Caustic or hot lime is found to be the very best simple manure 

 that can be applied to inert peat-moss, to bring it into a state of 

 activity. When the ridges are formed of this soil, the surface 

 should have a copious dressing of hot lime, which may be with ad- 

 vantage incorporated with the surface soil by a common harrow, 

 and afterwards suffered to remain unmolested for a few weeks. 

 A thick covering of the ashes, mixed with the cleanings of roads, 

 waste headlands, &.c. should then be applied; and the seeds of the 

 before-mentioned grasses, with a larger proportion of the Agrostis 

 stolunifera, and an equal proportion of the Agrostis palustris, sown 

 at the rate of five bushels to the acre : the ground should be well 

 rolled. I have made several trials to overcome the sterile nature 

 of this soil (p. 122), but in none was I successful, except in that 

 where the above means were adopted. The best season for sowing 

 the seeds of the grasses is in the beginning of May or early in 

 August. It may be unnecessary to remark, that if the soil becomes 

 very dry, previous to the vegetation of the seed, which is seldom 

 the case in lands of this nature, a gentle watering for one day will 

 greatly promote the progress of vegetation : provided it can be 

 effected without displacing any of the surface-dressing which 

 covers the seed. 



