252 MANAGEMENT OF GRASS LANDS. 



cise to preserve them in health and in a growing state. See 

 article Soiling. 



An eminent agriculturist observes that there seems to be a 

 season sometime during the year, when grass lands, particu- 

 larly old turf, should be eaten very close, not merely for the 

 sake of preventing waste, but also for the purpose of keeping 

 down the coarser kinds of plants, and giving to the pastures as 

 equal and fine a sward as possible. The Farmer's Assistant 

 says that good meadows are often spoiled by close feeding in 

 the fall; that many farmers feed them in the spring until their 

 upland pastures are grown, by which means the meadow is 

 poached, and the roots of the grass so torn to pieces, that not 

 more than half a crop may be expected, which would be re- 

 alized by pasturing moderately in the fall and mown in the 

 spring. 



Water for stock is indispensable; therefore every field under 

 pasture should be well supplied with it, and also shelter and 

 shade. In Germany and the Netherlands, portable sheds are in 

 extensive use; and generally a part underneath to which is affixed 

 a lump of rock salt for the use of the pasturing animals. We 

 would, however, recommend a few trees in clusters; the sugar- 

 maple would answer very well. 



Meadows. We have already remarked that there are three 

 descriptions of meadows. 1. On the banks of streams and 

 rivers. 2. On the uplands or elevated grounds. 3. Bog 

 meadows. 



River meadows are by far the most prolific and valuable, 

 yielding grass and hay in abundance, and producing an ever- 

 lasting source of manure for the enriching of the adjacent 

 grounds. They are very extensive in many parts of this coun- 

 try; soil deep and rich, mostly alluvial, being deposited by the 

 water or washed down by repeated and heavy rains from the 

 adjoining eminences. The principal defects to which such lands 

 are liable, is the oozing out of springs at their junction with the 

 rising grounds and inundations of the river or stream. The 

 latter is easily remedied by a proper system of embankments; 

 and the former by cutting a drain at a suitable point sufficiently 

 deep to carry off the water to other conductors. By this 

 means the springs are tapped above, and the surplus water in- 

 stead of deluging the meadow to its injury, is carried off by a 

 very cheap, simple and effectual process. It may be necessary, 

 however, in some cases, to adopt a system of under-draining, 

 which see. These are the only meadows to which the system 

 of irrigation can be profitably applied. 



Upland meadows or mowing grounds rank next in value 

 to the water or river meadows. The soil is either not usually 



