418 On Grass Land. 



The advantage of protecting such meadows, from useless, 

 and often ruinous inundations ( 337 ), having been already 

 treated of, (Chap. III. p. 285), it is unnecessary therefore, 

 to dwell upon that branch of the subject in this place. 



Grass Land near large towns. The propriety of retaining 

 in perpetual grass, lands situated in the neighbourhood of 

 large towns, is a subject respecting which great diversity of 

 opinion is entertained. 



It is admitted, that all land of a proper conformation of 

 soil, and of a moderate altitude, is enriched by remaining 

 in pasture. Every year's growth of the herbage, contributes 

 in part to the enriching of the soil ; and as it does not all 

 go into putridity at once, but part of the vegetable matter 

 remains partially decomposed, even in rich land, it ac- 

 cumulates in and over the soil, in the form of black mould, 

 or vegetable earth, which forms the richest food for every 

 species of crop. If lime, or other stimulating manures are 

 employed, they operate powerfully, in reducing that sub- 

 stance, to the more immediate food of plants. When land 

 has acquired a due portion of that enriching vegetable mat- 

 ter, it is in the very best possible condition for yielding, to 

 the greatest advantage, crops of grain and roots ; and it 

 is more advisable, to plough up land, that has been thus 

 enriched, for these crops, than to allow it to continue, either 

 convertible into hay, or in a diminished state of pasturage, by 

 which the value of its produce will be most essentially re- 

 duced. 



It was formerly supposed, that old grass, when properly 

 treated, produced such a variety and abundance of rich 

 herbage, as soon to bring fattening stock to the greatest 

 possible perfection, and that nothing but age could produce 

 that fine variety of plants, so valuable in old pastures ; but 

 it is now ascertained, that the requisite variety of grasses, 

 can be obtained in so short a period as two years, by raising 

 the seeds of those grasses, and sowing them in land prepared 

 for their reception. 



In the vicinity of the Metropolis. About 70,000 acres of 

 upland, in the county of Middlesex, are said to consist of 

 strong clay, with a mixture of flinty gravel. They are re- 

 presented as unfit for tillage. On that account they are kept 

 in meadow, and are retained in a productive state, by being 

 manured, about the month of October every year, with rich 

 dung from the metropolis. It is alleged, that this land 

 would be of very little value, if it were brought into cultiva- 

 tion, for it would be difficult to till, and would require ex- 



