810 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK ix. 



CHAPTER IV. 

 ON MEADOW LAND. 



UNDER this head are included the grass lands that, lying for the 

 most part in low or moist situations, are reserved chiefly for the 

 making of hay. There is sometimes, however, great difficulty in 

 determining what description of land is best fitted for grass, and what 

 for the plough. The best meadow land does not always make the 

 best tillage land, nor does the best arable produce the best pasture ; 

 but frequently the reverse. 



The lands that are most adapted to remain in grass, and which, if 

 in a state of tillage, ought to be converted into meadow or pasture, are 

 the following : 



1. Lands in the vicinity of large and populous towns, where manure 

 is cheap and plentiful, and where the produce of grass land is always 

 in demand, and consequently dear. 



2. Lands situated near rivers or brooks, and capable of being 

 improved by irrigation to better purpose than can be effected under 

 any other mode of culture. 



3. Lands lying in the valleys of mountainous countries, particularly 

 calcareous soils, where old meadow land is scarce and valuable. 



4. All cold, strong, grass lands, which, if ploughed up, would be 

 unsuited to the growth of turnips, and to the general purposes of 

 modern husbandry, and which, under the best systems of wheat tillage, 

 would not be so valuable as in their natural state of grass. 



5. Peaty soils, for although they may by tillage be quite reclaimed 

 from producing rank aquatic plants, yet, being too tender and moist 

 to continue long in an arable state, they should be converted into that 

 of permanent grass land as soon as it can be accomplished. 1 



It should be observed, that land intended for grass ought to be that 

 on which the herbage will spontaneously thrive and flourish. Where 

 there is too much moisture the grass will be injured in the winter by 

 rain and frost, and will soon give place to rushes, and other aquatic 

 plants, unless an effective system of drainage be established. On the 

 other hand, if the soil is too dry, the grass will be killed by the 

 summer heat, and will be succeeded by mosses, fern, and heather, 

 unless irrigation can be applied to it. It might be supposed that this 

 could be remedied by sowing such land with better grasses, and to a 



1 See Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. iii. pp. 79, 80, &c. 



