410 Cultivation of Grafs Land. Meadows Clearing of Stock. 



grafs land, in mofl inftances, admit of confiderably more latitude in performing 

 thefe different operations, as they are capable of admitting the ftock, as well as the 

 dung-cart, more early in the fpring months, and of fullering them to remain to, 

 or be applied at, later periods in the autumn, without inconvenience. The advan 

 tage of this attention is rendered fufficiently plain by the effects which the contrary 

 practice produces in fuch meadow and other hay lands as are in a ftate of common- 

 &quot;nge, where the ftock is admitted at all feafcm and under all circumstances. 



As it mud be evident to the moft fuperficial obfervarion, that the breaking of 

 the furface, texture, or fward of grafs lands muft in all cafes be prejudicial, not 

 only by the destruction of plants, which is thereby immediately produced, but 

 alfo by the retention and ftagnation of water upon them in the holes and de- 

 prefllons from fmall portions of the turf being forced in; the neceffity and utility 

 of clearing and removing all forts of live ftock, and efpecially thofe of the heavy 

 kinds, in both thefe defcriptions of meadow lands, when intended for hay, becomes 

 ftrikingly obvious. In a piece of clayey meadow land expofed to the treading of 

 cattle during the wet feafon of winter, with the view of fully afcertaining the ef 

 fects of the practice of fuffering cattle to remain too long upon grafs hay lands, it 

 was found that after three years, notwithstanding every pofllble care and attention 

 being employed in rolling, manuring and fowing grafs feeds, it was not reftored to 

 its former Itate of fward. 



And it has been remarked that on the deep, tough, yellow, cUyey grafs lands, 

 in Middlefex, every care is taken to prevent the leaft degree of poaching by cattle, 

 as &quot;it is well known that wherever a bullock makes a hole with his foot in this kind 

 of foil, it holds water and totally deftroys every veftige of herbage, which is not 

 quite replaced till feveral years after the hole is grown up.&quot;* 



The exact period of performing this bufinefs cannot be eafily regulated by any 

 fixed rules, as it muft always depend much on feafon; but it fiiould never, on any 

 account, be delayed after the grounds have become fo much impregnated with moif- 

 ture as to eafily give way to the tread of the animals. In the autumn feafon the 

 heavy cattle mould perhaps feldom be fuffered to remain on thefofter forts of lands 

 longer than the beginning of November ; but in thofe of the more dry kinds they 

 may be let remain to the end of that month with fafety. Sheep ftock may however 

 in the drier kinds be continued till February, or later. And in the fpring feafon, if 

 paftured at all, they fhould not be admitted upon fuch lands till they begin to pof- 



f Middlefex Agricultural Report. 



