Cultivation of Arable Land. Lands proper for Tillage and Grafs. 309 



near large towns, where manure is plentiful, and of courfe capable of being procu 

 red at a reafon able rate ; and where the produce of fuch lands is always in great 

 demand, and therefore capable of being difpofed of to great advantage. Such lands 

 as are fituatedon the banks of large rivers or brooks, which are capable of being 

 improved by means of watering, arelikewife more beneficial when kept conftantly 

 under the grafs fyftem than any other mode of cultivation that can be prac- 

 tifcd. The lands of a calcareous nature which are distributed in the valleys ot fhe 

 more mountainous diftricts, where old grafs land isfcarceand of much importance, 

 and mod: part of that in the Irate of tillage incapable of being converted co the con 

 dition of good grafs, may alfo be the moft advantageous when continued in 

 a permane.it Hate of herbage. The forts of land that are the moft adapted to 

 the practice of convertible hufbandry are thofe of the loamy kinds, which are 

 not too ftrong for the growth of turnips. Tiiefe in all their different varieties 

 are capable of being changed from the ftate of tillage to that of grafs, and the 

 contrary,. not only without fuftaining any injury, but frequently with the m.ift evi 

 dent ad vantage, as the practice of fome of the weftern and midland diftricts has 

 fully proved.* 



The richer kinds of fandy lands are in mod cafes alfo well fuited to this fort of 

 ru;fb-indry ; tfpecially where marl is at hand, to be applied at the time of laying 

 them down to the (late of grafs. 



And grounds of the peaty fort may in many cafes be the moft beneficially em 

 ployed in this mode of culture, as, from their producing little elfe than plants of 

 the aquatic kind, it is obvious that they mult be completely deftroyed, and thofe of 

 the proper grafs kind be introduced, before any ufeful herbage can be produced. 

 And this is capable of being accomplimed in by much the moft perfect manner un 

 der the ftate of tillage. But as they are in mo ft inftances much too tender and 

 moift for the purpofe of remaining long in the ftate of tillage, as foon as the above 

 intention has been fully effected, they Ihould be reftored to the ftate of permanent 

 grafs. f 



Converting .Lands to Grafs. It is evident therefore &quot;that fome forts of foil arc 

 much more difficult to be brought into the ftate of grafs than others, and thar, 

 when this object has been attained, fome are much more profitable and advantageous 

 than others, as affording a much better and more permanent herbage. In fome 

 diftricts the bufinefs of reftoring the land to the ftate .of fward, after it .has been in 

 that of tillage, is effected with the greateft cafe aiad facility : the ground, on being 

 left in an unploughed condition, from its natural tendency .to the production of 



* Communications to tie Bowl of Agriculture, vol. III. + Ibid, 



