On trcuisjjlantwg Turf, 307 



One acre of arable land, marked out in squares of nine inches 

 to the side of the square, or eighty-one square inches, and one 

 plant to each square, will require 77,440 plants : consequently, 

 one acre of turf will plant nine acres of arable land ; each plant 

 will stand six inches apart, and occupy a space of nin(i square 

 inches, the blanks in each square being seventy-two square 

 inches, to be filled up by the future growth of the plants. 



Mr. Blakie farther observes, that althougli this is the most 

 common, and judged to be the most proper size for the plants, 

 and distance for them to be set apart, yet it may not always be 

 convenient to allow so large a portion of turf for plants to the 

 acre. In that case, either the plants may be reduced or the dis- 

 tances apart extended. 



The process for the second case, or when the field from which 

 the turf is to be taken for transplanting is intended to remain 

 in permanent pasture, is as follows : — the gauge of the paring 

 plough may be set at nine inches, as before directed, but the wing 

 of the share should be turned up at six inches, and, being made 

 very sharp, will cut the turf on that side, while the coulter (also 

 made sharp) will cut the turf on the other side ; and the flat of 

 the share v;ill turn the turf out six inches wide, leaving ribs of 

 grass three inches wide uncut. The cut turf being removed, the 

 plough, set at the same gauge, is then drawn across the field, at 

 right angles, to its former direction, and cross-cutting the uncut 

 ribs of grass, will leave patches of grass three inches square in 

 each angle, consequently the same number of plants to the acre 

 as before stated in the calculation for transplanting. After the 

 turf is removed, the field should have a good top-dressing, not 

 less than thirty or forty loads per acre, of compost manure, or 

 good vegetable mould. If the natural turf is deficient in any 

 particular species of valuable grasses, the seeds of those should 

 be sown at the proper season after the top-dressing is spread ; 

 after this the surface should be repeatedly well rolled. The 

 turf will soon unite, and in many instances will be found mate- 

 rially improved from its former state, particularly so where the 

 turf had been previously hide-bound, or mossed. 



The turf may also be taken out of the grass-field in narrow 

 ribs, suppose three inches vvide only, leaving three inches uncut) 

 then with a top-dressing of compost, and the ground thoroughly 

 well rolled, the turf soon unites, and the herbage will be greatly 



