30 ARABLE LAND VERSUS GRASS 



same land under the plough. All land is more produc- 

 tive under the plough, and will maintain more cattle 

 and sheep upon the crops that can be grown than upon 

 the grass which is produced without cultivation. It 

 does not follow that it would be economic or more pro- 

 fitable to plough up the old fatting pastures that are 

 the pride of some parts of England, or again, some of 

 the very heavy clay pastures that are so expensive and 

 uncertain to work, though the limitations as regards the 

 latter are less than is generally supposed. We have as 

 a guide the fact that three and a half million acres have 

 been laid down to grass duiing the last forty years ; all 

 this has once been profitable under the plough, and 

 there can be no doubt that most of it could be brought 

 under cultivation again, for farming operations have 

 now been made cheaper and quicker, more is known as 

 to the amelioration of the texture of heavy land, and 

 drainage is more efficacious. Over very large areas of 

 the country now under grass the pasture is indifferent — 

 it will not fatten stock nor produce much milk ; when 

 laid up for hay it produces but a poor crop unless 

 the season is favourable ; it is only profitable be- 

 cause the rent is low and the expenditure on labour 

 trifling. Much of it ought to be ploughed up from time 

 to time even if it is to carry good grass ; when left down 

 for many years the texture of the soil suffers, aeration 

 becomes deficient, and the herbage grows sparse and 

 deteriorates in quality. Without doubt this grass can 

 be enormously improved as pasture by careful manage- 

 ment and the application of manures, especially basic 

 slag ; but so content is the farmer with the cheapness 

 of the land and of his methods that even this improve- 

 ment is neglected. The relative production from arable 



