366 CARE OF MEADOWS. 



He opposes mowing it the second year, having found that this 

 practice destroys the clovers and the lesser grasses by encourag- 

 ing the stronger growing species. He avoids mowing for sev- 

 eral years, feeding with cattle in preference to sheep. He sows 

 u variety of grasses, leaving the best to hold their own. 



"A pasture cannot do much above ground till after the form- 

 ation of a large bulk of roots below. The working capital of 

 nitrogen and potash in a pasture must be larger than that re- 

 quired in an arable soil. In a pasture there is less activity and 

 less change than there is in an arable soil. New turf will not 

 become permanently productive until after the underground 

 formation of stored up material. A pasture often falls off after 

 the first three or four years. This can be avoided by a liberal 

 feeding on the ground of cattle eating cotton cake. For the 

 formation of a good turf after everything else is right, nothing 

 equals cotton cake, cotton cake, cotton cake! If he sells the hay, 

 and thereby takes potash from his soil, he can restore the waste 

 with kainit salts or sulphate of potash." 



Care of Meadows. — Much that was said in reference to the 

 care of pastures applies equally to the care of meadows. They 

 are injured by being shaved too closely, by continued removal 

 of hay without any returns in the form of fertilizers, by close 

 feeding of cattle in addition to mowing. 



If land is in excellent condition when seeded to grass little 

 need be done for the first two years, when the sod may be broken 

 for some other crop, or for re-seeding to grass. If clover is used 

 a dressing of plaster is often beneficial. 



In a summary of the opinions of 55 prominent farmers of 

 England, most of them advocate mowing in the first season in- 

 stead of pasturing. The majority prefer mowing early the first 

 year and again later in the season. All admit the great value of 

 a dressing of farmyard manure, several recommend feeding cattle 



