210 THE PRINCIPLES OF 



naturally so well adapted for pasturage as heavy lands. 

 They readily burn in hot weather, and the grasses are dis- 

 posed to die out after a short series of years. The light land 

 farmer is therefore less likely to take refuge in laying his 

 acres down to permanent pasture. 



Next with reference to the important subject of laying land 

 down to grass, that again is beset with many difficulties. It 

 is by no means an easy thing to produce that particular 

 character of herbage which belongs to an old pasture. Every- 

 one who is accustomed to country life knows any one can tell 

 who has any experience at all in farming when he is walking 

 over what is called a newly-laid down field. Even if it has 

 been laid down a dozen or twenty years, I take it that we 

 shall easily be able to judge that the ground is not yet in the 

 beautiful rich condition that belongs to permanent pasturage. 

 To secure a thoroughly good turf, in spite of what has been 

 said of late years, I believe it requires time. I know that 

 we have been told recently that all depends upon getting 

 a proper mixture of grass seeds. Mr. Faunce de Laune 

 has come forward conspicuously as an apostle of the im- 

 portance of pure seeds. The Royal Agricultural Society 

 has also taken up the subject, and we have a society's 

 botanist in order to direct the members in the selection of 

 pure seed. It is of vast importance not only that pure seed 

 should be used, but that farmers should be well instructed as 

 to the species of plants which ought to be sown in order to 

 make a good pasture. But agriculture is a most extra- 

 ordinary business. It is different to anything else, and we 

 still find men, whose opinions we are bound to respect, 

 express views contrary to what our scientific leaders tell us. 

 It is extraordinary how often we hear that land which has 

 not been laid away, but which has what is called "fallen 

 away" itself, proves the best pasture in the end. We shall 

 also find, as I was informed by a very eminent agriculturist 



