And haying Down Land to Grass. 61 



evils of which I have previously remarked on), and 

 comes to the conclusion that such light lands, if worthy 

 of cultivation at all, should either be brought under 

 the plough more frequently, and refreshed with manure, 

 or laid down with some of the hardiest grasses. He 

 then enumerates various grasses which, in his opinion, 

 would be suitable for such soils ; but I do not propose 

 to dwell upon the kinds mentioned, as my object is to 

 call attention to the fact that the principle of ^tting 

 down a mixture of grasses suitable to the sou, and 

 without any admixture of ryegrass, was recognised so 

 many years ago, and that attention was also called to 

 the decline of vegetable matter in the land, to the 

 consequent consolidation of the soil, and its being 

 turned into a bad physical medium, or a bad nest for 

 the plant. But why should this consolidation of the 

 soil not have been prevented by putting down a 

 mixture of plants which would at once permeate it to 

 a great depth, and furnish it with abundance of vege- 

 table matter ? It is singular that a writer so evidently 

 intelligent as the author of the paper should have failed 

 to point to the obvious solution of the difficulty, and it 

 is also remarkable that Arthur Young, though he used 

 a mixture calculated to effect this purpose when he 

 recommends chicory, bumet, and the free use of cocks- 

 foot and yarrow, should have failed to point out their 

 great value in disintegrating and aerating the soil, 

 and filling it with vegetable padding. After carefully 

 examining his work, from which I have taken so many 

 extracts, I can find no allusion to the important physical 

 effects arising from the use of these plants. But the 

 reader has now heard probably enough of this branch 

 of my subject — enough, I trust, to impress him with 

 those principles which should guide him in the selection 

 of plants, either for temporary or permanent pastures — 

 namely, that a selection should be made which will at 

 once provide the most food for stock, keep it in healthy 

 condition, and maintain a good physical condition of 



