Cultivation of Grafs Land. Meadows Draining of. 409 



by a fuitable management in the feeding down, nnd ufe of manure, thefe forts f 

 land may even be brought to afford aconfiderable produce in hay. 



Meadow Lands. The common meadow lands, from their being fituated in the 

 hollows and Hoping fides of the valleys, where the ftaple and depth of foil of the 

 lands have for a long time been continually increafmg by the depofitioiwif various- 

 forts of vegetable and other matters brought down from the higher grounds, are 

 however, in general, in a considerably greater ftateof fertility, and evidently better 

 fitted for the permanent production of grafs than thofe from which they have de 

 rived their richnefs. It has been well obferved, that this fort of land of aii others 

 is the molt productive of grafs and hay, yielding fuftenance* for cattle through the 

 fummer and winter, and producing an everlafting fourcc of manure for the im 

 provement of the adjoining uplands ; and that in all cafes of extenflve inclofures, 

 the improvement of the vale land, or that formed by nature for meadow and paf~- 

 ture, mould be firft attended to.* 



But as, from their greater retention of rnoifture, in confequence of their fitua- 

 tion, and the depth of vegetable matter, they are liable to throw up coarfe her 

 bage in many cafes, more drainage, as well as other management, is neceffary to 

 bring them into the proper condition for the growth of good herbage, than is re- 

 quifite in the hay grounds in the more elevated places. And by a more particular 

 attention in thefe rcfpects they would, in many inftances, be rendered a vaft deal 

 more productive than they are at prefent, and at the fame time afford a much 

 better and lefs coarfe herbage. They would alfo admit flock upon them a much 

 greater length of time, both in the autumn and fpring feafons. 



The mod proper feafon for furface.draining grafs lands is in the autumn, when &amp;gt; 

 they are fomewhat firm and dry, as in the early fpring months fuch lands are too 

 full of moifture. The grips, or fmall open drains, mould be cut obliquely, in the 

 moft fuitable directions for conveying off the fuperficial ftagnant water, the mate 

 rials taken out being wholly removed. Much of this fort of draining may be per 

 formed at a fmall expence, and the beneficial effects be very considerable. t 



Befides, fuch meadow lands demand much more attention in their management 

 in other refpects, as thofe of their being fed by cattle, and the performing of the 

 different operations that are proper for rendering them productive of good herbage. 

 In thefe cafes flock mould be turned upon the lands, and manures applied with 

 much care, and only when the land is in fuch a (late of drynefs as not to be injured 

 by the poaching in or breaking of the fward. The higher and more dry forts of 



* Staffordshire Report. t Sedion on Draining of Laud. 



YOL. II. 3 G 



