11 



when soils are deep and the turf is thick and of good quality, 

 the tillage must aim at burying and rotting the surface 

 herbage. The actual management of these clay pastures 

 must vary with the season. When broken up before mid- 

 summer the land can scarcely be too rough, the sun and 

 rain will mellow the clods, and there will be time to work 

 them into a wheat seed-bed before the autumn. Later 

 in the season, till mid-August, a moderately moist soil, a flat 

 shallow furrow, cross ploughing and subsequent cleaning by 

 the use of the cultivator and harrow are necessary. There 

 would not be enough sun to bake large lumps properly, 

 and autumn might find the land full of bent. When 

 there is a choice the best results follow the early use of steam 

 tackle, for as there is no tilling implement that can equal 

 frost on a strong loam, there is none that can search out and 

 mellow a raw clay soil so well as the summer sun. 



To make a success of wheat on a clay soil broken up from 

 grass, a bastard fallow is almost an essential preliminary in 

 the South-east. 



When grass has been broken up after harvest, winter oats 

 or beans may be sown, but as a rule sowing should be 

 deferred until spring. 



When heavy loams or clay soils covered by inferior 

 herbage cannot be tackled in summer, and must of necessity 

 be broken up in autumn and winter, the best plan will 

 probably be to plough as deep as possible, invert the furrow 

 slice, and endeavour to rot the surface weeds before spring 

 tillage begins. 



Spring oats on newly broken clays may do fairly well 

 in the Midlands or the North, but as a rule are unsatisfac- 

 tory in the South. Peas would appear to be the best crop 

 for March sowing on this class of land, if beans cannot be 

 sown in February. 



Poor clay soils are usually very deficient in phosphates 

 and should get 2 to 4 cwt. per acre of basic slag before the 

 seed is sown. In dry districts and for spring crops 2 to 3 

 cwt. of superphosphate may be substituted. From \ to 1^ 

 cwt. per acre of sulphate of ammonia may often be usefully 

 applied to cereals on land of this description. 



Good Grass on Heavy Clay Soil. Good grass on stiff 

 land has a special value ; not only are the feeding properties 

 high, but it withstands dry weather when other pastures 

 become bare. Although, when labour is abundant and the 

 land is well drained and well managed, it may grow fine 

 crops of wheat and beans, good pastures on clay land should 

 not be broken up under existing conditions. 



(iii.) Derelict Land. 



Very Poor Grass on Stiff Clay Soil. As a rule this 

 should not be broken up at present : the labour available 



