PROF. BREWER'S LECTURE. 15 



We have an interesting illustration of the exhaustion of 

 pastures in certain of the dairy districts of England, where 

 cheese has been made for centuries, and where aniinals have 

 been grown on the land and sold. In the course of time 

 these drained off the phosphates, the pastures became poor, 

 the cheese and flesh produced deteriorated in quality and the 

 animals became less healthy. Chemistry suggested the 

 remedy, and the application of bone dust restored them to 

 excellence. I have spoken of an increase in the vegetable 

 matter as taking place. But this may be otherwise from bad 

 management even on tolerably fertile land. I am acquainted 

 with a district through which, in former years, many droves 

 of cattle were driven on their way from the western States to 

 the eastern markets. This was before they were so generally 

 transported by railroads. Several hundred would be driven 

 together twelve to eighteen miles per day, and then turned 

 hungry into the pastures along the way over night to fill 

 themselves, and the next morning carry it off in their full 

 stomachs and leave it along the high way during the day's 

 drive, and be hungry for another man's pasture the next 

 evening. It is needless to say that this was a most exhaus- 

 tive process, and the meagre sum the farmer derived poorly 

 repaid him for 'the loss his land sustained. 



We hear much of pastures " running out." They will run- 

 out, unless cared for. The soil may be as effectually ex- 

 hausted by this process as by cropping, only it is perhaps a 

 longer time in taking place. Manure of some kind must be 

 supplied, or in time the soil must be impoverished. Some- 

 times low lands receive the wash from the hills which keeps 

 up their fertility, at others occasional overflows from streams 

 supply the place of manure, and again, artificial irrigation 

 supplies it in others, but all of these are exceptional cases, the 

 great majority need manure. 



The kind of stock pastured should modifiy the treatment. 

 Sheep feed closer than horses, and horses closer than cattle. 

 Sheep, moreover, feed more evenly, and it needs a more fer- 

 tile soil to fatten cattle than sheep, as every farmer knows. 

 A too common mistake of farmers (especially of the careless 



