96 AMERICAN AGRICULTURE. 



the elements of plants, is daily carried from the soil. To 

 such an extent have the permanent clay pastures of Cheshire, 

 (in England,) been impoverished, that it has been found 

 necessary to manure them with crushed bones, which at 

 once brought up their value more than 100 percent. There 

 is much phosphate of lime in milk, and bones which are 

 mostly of the same material, are the best manure that could 

 be used for dairy pastures. Wool contains a large proportion 

 of sulphur, and sulphate of lime (gypsum) becomes a proper 

 manure for sheep pastures ; but whatever has a tendency to 

 develop vegetation, will generally accomplish the object by 

 yielding all the needful properties. Ashes and salt are of 

 the highest value for pasture lands, and with the addition in 

 some instances, of Irme, bones and gypsum, are all that 

 would ever be necessary for permanent pastures. From the 

 peculiar action of these, instead of growing poorer, pastures 

 may become richer through every successive year. 



Permanent meadow lands if constantly chopped without 

 manures, may be exhausted with much greater rapidity than 

 pastures though this depreciation is much more gradual than 

 with tillage lands. There is no greater mistake than to 

 suppose they will keep in condition by taking off one annual 

 crop only, and either pasturing the aftermath or leaving it to 

 decay on the ground. By recurring to the table of the ash 

 of plants, page 32, it will be seen that the analysis of hay 

 there given shows over 5 per cent., while dried clover yields 

 from 7 to 9 per cent, of earthy matter. Every particle of 

 this is essential to the success of the plant, and yet if the 

 land produces at the rate of 3 tons p^r acre, they are taken 

 off to the amount of upwards of 300 Ihs per annum. No 

 soils but such as are periodically flooded with enriching 

 waters, can long suffer such a drain with impunity. They 

 must be renewed with the proper manwes, or barrenness 

 will ensue. Ashes, lime, bones, and gypsum, (the latter 

 especially to to be applied to clovers, its good effects not 

 being so marked on the grasses,) are essential to maintain 

 fertility, and to insure the greatest product, animal or vege- 

 table manures must also be added. The proper manner of 

 applying manure, is by mixing in a compost and scattering it 

 over the surface when the grass is just, commencing a vigor- 

 ous growth in spring, or simultaneously with the first rains 

 after mowing. The growing vegetation soon buries the 

 manure under its thick foliage, and the refreshing showers 

 wash its soluble matters into the roots ; and even the gases 



