On Grass Land. 439 



vertible husbandry, cannot be too much dwelt on. None 

 but those who have tried it, can be fully aware of the vast 

 improvement effected, by laying down old ploughed land 

 into grass, as well as converting pasture lands into arable. 

 If one million of acres of old tillage land, were gradually 

 laid down into herbage, and the like extent of old pasture 

 broken up, and put under judicious rotations, it would pro- 

 bably be the means of supplying the public markets, with 

 not less than two millions of stones of beef and mutton ad- 

 ditional, and three millions of quarters of grain ( 3su ). Un- 

 der that system also, when judiciously conducted, the crops 

 are always abundant, and the soil is kept in a constant state 

 of increasing fertility ( 393 ). 



It is proper, at the same time, to remark, that too much 

 pasture, in a populous country, ought to be avoided. It 

 diminishes the necessaries of life, while it increases and 

 cheapens the luxuries, and its produce is much less efficient, 

 than land when properly cultivated for crops of grain, or 

 bulbous roots, in furnishing subsistence to man ( 394 ) 



On the whole, it has been justly remarked, that the alter- 

 nate system of husbandry, is the most beneficial to the far- 

 mers and to the public. A considerable capital is neces- 

 sarily required, to commence, and carry it on, and it must 

 occasion some trouble in its execution ; but these are cir- 

 cumstances, which indispensably accompany every improved 

 system. If one half of a farm be kept under artificial 

 grasses, and other green crops, as much live stock may often 

 be supported, and fattened upon their produce, as if the 

 whole farm were pastured ; while the other half, enriched 

 by the large quantity of dung produced by the consumption 

 of these crops, will furnish as much disposable produce, for 

 supplying the market with the various sorts of grain, as if 

 the whole farm had been sown with culmiferous crops. 

 Hence the superior advantages and greater profit derived, 

 from a conjunction of stock, and of corn husbandry ; by the 

 union of which, wherever such a plan is practicable, British 

 husbandry can be more substantially improved, than by 

 any other means that has hitherto been suggested ( 395 ). It 

 is that fortunate conjunction, which distinguishes the agri- 

 culture of this, over that of every other country, and has 

 raised it to that proud pre-eminence which it now enjoys. 



