18 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



in treating of rotations. The whole object in the best systems 

 of husbandry, is to make the earth produce the largest possi- 

 bility of organic matter in a given time. But in such a sys- 

 tem we are limited by the climate, inasmuch as we are 

 obliged so to arrange matters that our crops shall always at- 

 tain to complete maturity ; the consequence of which is, that 

 with all our pains the soil remains unproductive during a cer- 

 tain number of weeks or months towards the end of autumn 

 and in early spring, and through the whole of winter. But 

 upon meadow lands, vegetation is incessant, the winter even 

 does not completely interrupt it, and in early spring, it pro- 

 ceeds when the mean temperature is but little above the freez- 

 ing point of water, and it never ceases until checked again by 

 the severer cold of winter. Therefore, a given surface of 

 meadow land must necessarily produce a larger quantity of 

 forage than land laid out in any other way. It is true that 

 the forage thus obtained will not, like the cereal grains, an- 

 swer immediately for the support of man ; but it neverthe- 

 less concurs powerfully in this by producing milk, butter, and 

 cheese, and in breeding and fattening cattle. Let there be 

 added to all these advantages of what may be called a perma- 

 nent vegetation, that the cost of keeping it in order is infi- 

 nitely less, and that there is vastly less risk to run from the 

 failure of crops, and the vast advantages of meadow or pas- 

 ture land Vill meet us with all their force." 



You will remember that this applies more particularly to 

 the milder and moister climate of Europe, but the principle 

 applies also here. We have great areas that cannot be profit- 

 ably cropped, which can be profitably put down to pasture. 

 Many hilly portions of this State, now nearly worthless, might 

 be made to yield abundantly of good mutton, if got into good 

 permanent pasture. And the beneficial results upon the 

 country at large as well as upon the individual would be 

 manifold. 



We are wont to deplore the evil results following the strip- 

 ping of our hills of their original forest clothing, and evils 

 have followed this ; but this would be greatly mitigated if 

 the same hills were again clothed in pasture ; not only would 



