98 On Natural Grasses. 



be preferred, because the seeding grasses, if sown in the beginning of 

 August, will have rooted sufficiently, to be able to withstand the effects 

 of the winter's frosts, damps and worm-casts. On the contrary, when 

 the soil is cold, damp or clayey, spring sowing, as in April, is greatly 

 to be preferred in such soils. The clover, and several of the smaller or 

 sole grasses, are very apt to perish altogether, when in a seedling state, 

 in damp winters, or where there happen to be frequent alternations of 

 frost and rain. If a pasture of the best quality be an object, and to 

 obtain it in the shortest space of time, or in fact, the same season of 

 sowing, any admixture of corn or grain crops should not be sown 

 with the grass seeds, but they should be sown alone, as above men- 

 tioned. If sown in April, the pasture will be ready for the reception 

 of young stock, in the course of three months from the time of sow- 

 ing. 



For light sandy soils or sandy loams, a green crop fed off, is the 

 very best precursor to the permanent pasture grass seeds. Where the 

 soil is stiff and clayey, and where it contains a good proportion of 

 carbonate of lime, paring and burning for the green fallow crop, to be 

 fed off, is a most excellent preparation *. 



# It may not be uninteresting to select, from among the numerous successful 

 trials that have been made on a large scale, on different soils and local climates, 

 to form a perfect permanent pasture in the space of two seasons, an example of 

 each kind of soil. 



Strong tenacious clay on Blackrock farm, belonging to W. Rick ford, Esq. 

 M. P. situated near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and consisting of 28 acres, 

 was sown down without corn, late in the spring of 1825, and the success was 

 most complete, i t is one of the best dairy pastures, on the like nature of soil, in 

 that district. Four years afterwards, Mr Rick ford was so satisfied with the re- 

 sults, that he laid down another field of the same nature of soil, which has been 

 attended with equally favourable results. It is proper to add, that the most 

 skilful attention was paid to the preparation of the soil, the selection, and the 

 culture of the seeds. 



A large field of a sandy loam, on Speedwell farm, belonging to the Duke of 

 Bedford, was sown down, according to the new method, in 1817. A space was 

 sown according to the old method, for comparison. The combination of grasses, 

 imitative of the natural pasture, produced a perfect sward, which has continued 

 permanent, while the space sown down according to the old system, had to be 

 renovated the second year from sowing. 



On fiat low lying surface, partly alluvial and partly peaty, which had been sup- 

 posed incapable of being returned to rich valuable pasture by art, it has been 

 effected in one season, on a farm which then belonged to the late Emily, Mar- 

 chioness of Londonderry, North Cray, Kent, and rendered equal to the richest 

 natural pastures in the neighbourhood. 



Of calcareous gravelly soils, that have been converted into permanent pasture, 

 rich and productive in the space of two seasons, those of Mr Crawley's estate at 

 Stockwood, in the southern part of Bedfordshire, may be mentioned. 



Strong tenacious clay, differing from that before described, on an elevated or 

 rising site, has been formed into a superior permanent pasture in one season. As 

 an example may be quoted, a large field of that nature, laid down to grass by Mr 

 Whitehouse of Studby, Warwickshire. Of the light gravelly and sandy soils, 

 where these seeds have been employed with perfect success, in converting them 

 to improved permanent pasture, may be mentioned, those belonging to Mr Stans- 

 ficld of Wakefield, Yorkshire; Mr Beaumont Swete's, Oxton, Exeter ; the Duke 

 of Bedford's ire Devonshire, under the direction of Mr Wilson ; Mr R. Bick- 

 nell's, Fair Mile farm, Surrey ; Mr Cope's, Shrewsbury-House, Kent, &c. 



