194 THE BOOK OF THE LANDED ESTATE. 



soils ; and it will be found that a liberal application of manures to land 

 recently drained will bave a wonderful effect on the crops. 



There are some very poor grass-fields which are grown over with rushes 

 and rough grass, which after drainage remain in a poorer state than they 

 were before, unless something be done to improve the land afterwards. 

 Where pasture-lands are in a very poor condition, and are devoid of a 

 fair proportion of good grasses, they should be ploughed up and either 

 trenched or subsoiled, and then well manured, cleaned, and green-cropped, 

 and then relaid down with good grasses. 



I have found it advantageous with some soils of this description, where 

 the sward may be very tough, to take a grain crop from it after being 

 stirred up, and in the following season to have it thoroughly cleaned 

 and put under a green crop, and the crop eaten on the ground by sheep. 

 If it is desired to have the land relaid down in pasture permanently, the 

 grasses should be sown without an accompanying grain crop. 



In some cases, however, it may be inconvenient to break up land 

 of this description, and a considerable improvement will usually be 

 effected in its condition by liming on the surface, which will eradicate 

 the coarse grasses. Subsequent topdressings with farmyard manure, 

 which must be bush-harrowed feeding sheep on turnips scattered 

 over surface, and other feeding stuffs and dressing with bones and 

 other artificial manures of a phosphatic nature will also effect much 

 improvement. 



