180 FiUing up Vacant Spots. 



ing power of vegetable matter. The results of the vrhole 

 surroimdings have had a remarkable effect on the sheep at 

 Clifton- on -Bowmont, and not only has their health, condition, 

 and quality improved, but the death-rate, which, in the case of 

 flocks kept partly on hill lands and partly in fields, on large 

 farms, is about 5 per cent., has fallen to about 3 per cent. The 

 healthy conditions have told most markedly on the turnips, which 

 are quite free from disease, though the season has been most 

 favourable to the appearance of this serious evil — one of the 

 worst that the farmer has to contend with. 



Filling up Vacant Spots in Fiest Year's Grass. — I have 

 previously called attention to this (page 68). Sinclair points out 

 (page 243, 2nd edition, Hortus Gramineus Wobumensis) that 

 even in a field where blanks are not very noticeable, owing to 

 the leaves of the plants covering the ground, they will amount to 

 from 10 to 15 per cent, of the area. It is important to remember 

 that, if a field is not fully shaded with grass, vacant spots — small 

 though they may be — ^much increase the loss of moisture from the 

 field, especially in the case of drying winds. Young grass plants 

 more often sufEer from want of moisture than from want of 

 manure. It is important always to use a rake to cover the seeds. 

 I once found that in the case of a tiUy ridge there was a con- 

 siderable number of vacant spots, which I was at a loss to account 

 for, tUl the steward told me that he had not used a rake, but 

 merely scattered the seed on the ground, because in the case of 

 other fields he had found that the re-seeding had succeeded with- 

 out any raking. In certain soils it would, no doubt, but even 

 then the use of the rake is advisable, as the seeds can be covered 

 with soil, when they would be less visible to birds and piice. It 

 is of the utmost importance to fill the field with grass plants 

 because (1) more stock can be kept, (2) weeds can be excluded 

 more effectually, and (3) every paort of the soil wiU be at once 

 permeated, and so kept open by rootlets. Farmers have in some 

 cases refused to credit the account of the stock we have kept 

 per acre ;•■ but if they wO fill up their land with plants which 

 produce abundantly, an^ are of rapidly-reproductive, drought- 

 resisting, and deeply-rooted character, they could keep one-third 

 more stock, and keep it in much better health and condition, and 

 be sure, too, of better crops when the land is again ploughed up. 



