Grazing and Haying. 175 



The Grazing of Pabtuees. — Dr. Shirra Gibb says : " I have 

 obtained excellent results from what I term " rotation grazing " — 

 alternating breeding sheep, feeding sheep and cattle — either 

 yearly, or in some cases quarterly. I consider this much better 

 than mixed grazing so often practised." 



Ajtebmath must be Lightly Geazed. — The Inner Kaimrig 

 (sown in 1895) gave 2 two tons of bay an acre, which is a heavy 

 crop, considering that it is the poorest field on the farm, and 

 grazed well till it was ploughed up at the end of 1899. Bowmont- 

 side field, sown in 1897, gave in 1898 about 3 tons an acre of hay. 

 "It is one of the best fields of the farm, and yet it has grazed 

 badly, though it was top-dressed with dung in the autumn of 

 1899 ; while the Inner Kaimrig had no manure, and the grasses 

 in the Bowmontside field still remain poor and weak, though the 

 pasture has quite closed up at the bottom. Though the season of 

 1898 was one of drought, and thus unfavourable to the Bowmont- 

 side field, much of the unfavourable result is, in my opinion, to 

 be accounted for by the fact that the aftermath was closely 

 eaten; while I took pains to see that, in the case of the Inner 

 Kaimrig, it was lightly grazed, as the land was of such poor 

 quality. In grazing, then, the poorest field on the farm, though 

 unaided by manure, has beaten one of the best, though it was 

 aided by manure. This experience supports that of Mr. Knight 

 (vide page 54). 



Effects of Haying Land Fiest Yeae. — All our experience 

 proves that if the land is heavily cropped with hay the first year 

 to the extent of from two to three tons an acfe, farmyard manure 

 should be applied before winter sets in. If that is not available, 

 apply superphosphate and kainit, but no nitrates, as these 

 encourage the grasses at the expense of the clovers. I have since 

 come to the conclusion that even if farmyard manure is available, 

 it is not advisable, for the sake of the pasture, to have a crop of 

 more than ^ tons of hay in good and 1^ in the case of light land, 

 and that the crop should be diminished by light grazing in the 

 spring. 



