370 CULTURE OF FARM CROPS. 



cult to give details as to the mode to be pursued, inasmuch 

 as the practice varies, or should vary, with the soil, climate, 

 &c. For instance, bones and lime, especially the former, 

 have been used in some districts with such marked benefit 

 that they have been deemed likely to be as advantageous 

 in others to which they have been applied, whereas the 

 result proved that they were worthless, or next to worth- 

 less, the land being, in fact, well provided with the very 

 materials which the bones and lime, &c., were applied to 

 supply. Professor Coleman points out that the best way 

 to improve grass land is by folding sheep upon it which 

 are fed upon oil-cake. The following remarks by the 

 eminent authority, Dr. Voelcher, on this point of manuring 

 will be read with interest : 



173. "It was quite true that there was land which 

 had a natural aptitude for producing grass, just as there 

 was a great deal of land in England which had a natural 

 aptitude for producing almost without any kind of manure, 

 but simply through deep ploughing a very heavy produce 

 of corn. But the question was whether there was any 

 grass land which would not repay careful attention, and 

 yield a large increase of the produce. He believed that 

 if the same degree of attention which had been bestowed 

 on arable land were given to pasture, they would see the 

 produce very materially increased, and in some cases find 

 the character of the herbage greatly improved. Having 

 seen a good deal of the pasture land in Cheshire, he knew 

 what excellent effects were produced there by a judicious 

 application of manures adapted to the soil. He had seen 

 great changes effected through the application of bones, 

 both in the quantity and quality of the herbage. At the 

 same time, he felt bound to say that he had seen the same 

 bone manures tried in Gloucestershire, and he had tried 

 them himself, without producing the slightest benefit. 

 There could be no doubt as to the fact that there was 

 grass land to which it was a waste of money to apply any 

 artificial manure at all. It was better to apply the manure 

 to the arable portions of the farm than to spend money on 



