MOS 



MOW 



275 



the plantation, or draining the 

 land, (he young shoots will conti 

 nue clear after this. 



" If the trees are covered with 

 moss in consequence of the ground'.* 

 being too dry (as this will happen 

 from either extreme in the soil) 

 then the proper remedy is, the lay- 

 ing mud from the bottom of a pond, 

 or river, pretty thick about the 

 roots, opening the ground to some 

 distance and depth to let it in. 

 This will not only cool it, and pre- 

 vent its giving growth to any quan- 

 tity of moss ; but it will prevent the 

 other great mischief which fruit 

 trees are liable to in dry grounds, 

 which is the falling of the fruit too 

 early." Morlirner''s Husbandry. 



"One of the greatest difficulties 

 in the management of old pasture 

 lands, is to prevent that immense 

 growth of mosses, by which the 

 finer species of grasses are apt to 

 be overwhelmed. Drainage, and 

 the use of rich composts, are in 

 this case necessary, and tillage it- 

 self must be sometimes resorted to. 

 Harrowing, and cross-harrowing, 

 with a common harrow loaded with 

 a weight, so as to go from one to 

 two inches deep, with a sprinkling 

 of grass seeds afterwards, and some 

 lime, or well prepared compost, are 

 the most likely means of destroy- 

 ing the moss, and improving the 

 pasture. Feeding sheep with oil 

 cake, and allowing them to pasture 

 on the land, has also been found ef- 

 fectual for the destruction of moss, 

 and bringing up abundance of grass. 

 But the radical remedy is to plough 

 up such grass lands, upon tlie first 

 appearance of moss, or before it 

 has n»ade any considerable pro- 

 gress." Code of .Agriculture. 



MOULD. "Mould, which con- 

 tains a mixture of animal and vege- 

 table remains, particularly from 

 putrefaction, is an essential ingre- 

 dient in all fertile soils. It arises 

 from the decomposition of the roots 

 and leaves and vegetables on grass 

 land, and the stubble and roots of 

 grain crops, on arable. This pio- 

 cess on grass lands is very slow ; 

 tor it is calculated that it proceeds 

 at the rate of only one inch in a 

 century. Considerable accumula- 

 lations of this mould, are likewise 

 produced from the leaves of trees, 

 amassed for a number of years, and 

 rotted on the surface. When in 

 addition to vegetable, there are ani- 

 mal remains, in a state of decom- 

 position, the soil is distinguished 

 for its fertility." Code of Agricul- 

 ture. 



MOULDBOARD, that part of 

 a plough which turns over the fur- 

 row. For ploughing green sward, 

 an iron mouldboard is best : ]( 

 it be wood it ought to be plated 

 with iron to prevent its being soon 

 worn through. See Plough. 



MOW, a quantity of hay ,or grain 

 in the straw, piled in a barn for 

 keeping. Ground mows are more 

 liable to take damage by moisture, 

 than mows upon scaffolds. Mows 

 of grain should be laid upon the 

 latter. The larger the mow, the 

 drier the hay or sheaves should be 

 of which it consists. See Fodder. 



The following modes of prevent- 

 ing hay from heating in the bay or 

 mow are recommended in the 

 " Farmer's Manual" by Frederick 

 Butler. 



" Let your bays be open under 

 the bottom for a free circulation of 



