IIORTUS GHAMINEUS VV OB Uli N EN SIS. 



259 



wooden roller, drawn by men, in the same manner as the 

 bush-harrow, will be found the best mode of manage- 

 ment. 



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 abun- 

 dance of excellent ashes ; and without these, or a substitute 

 perhaps of a more expensive nature, to apply as a top-dress- 

 ing, 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 sur- 

 face should have a copious dressing of hot lime, which may 

 be with advantage incorporated with the surface soil by a 

 common harrow, and afterwards suffered to remain unmo- 

 lested 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-men- 

 tioned grasses, with a larger proportion of the agrostis stolo- 

 tiifera, and an equal proportion o^ 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, 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 pro- 

 gress of vegetation : provided it can be effected without 

 displacing any of the surface-dressing which covers the 

 seed. 



