2 PASTURES AND PASTURE PLANTS chap. 



Surface Draining. — ^When no fall for the pipes is obtainable, damp 

 pastures may be much improved by surface-drains or gutters to carry off 

 surplus flood waters. 



Preparatory Culture 



Preceding Crops. — Though a summer bare-fallow permits of successive 

 crops of indigenous annual weeds being most conveniently and effectually 

 destroyed, and also allows plenty of time for thorough tillage, it is seldom 

 that one can be afforded ; and the next best preparation is undoubtedly a 

 well manured and hoed root-crop, folded on the land with cake-fed sheep, or 

 a potato crop, the latter being especially desirable to precede autumn sow- 

 ings. Cereals are less satisfactory, as they leave the land more or less hard, 

 infested with weeds and exhausted of nourishment, although they are 

 harvested earlier than roots, and therefore give more time for preparation. 

 Though undesirable in practice, it is sometimes necessary for a mixture 

 of pasture seeds to follow grasses or grasses and clovers, or for a clover or 

 Sainfoin ley to be converted into permanent pasture. 



Deep Tillage. — When surface and subsoils are of almost the same 

 character, deep autumn tillage is desirable ; since it not only exposes a greater 

 depth of soil to the disintegrating effects of the atmosphere and natural 

 elements, so opening up stores of plant-food previously inaccessible, but it 

 enables the roots to ramify more deeply, and consequently to endure greater 

 drought ; while permeable land also permits excess of moisture to drain away, 

 thus minimising the injury due to very wet seasons. 



Object of Preparation. — Apart from enriching the soil, the chief aim 

 of cultural preparation is to produce a fine, firm and level seed-bed. Since 

 few grass seeds germinate at a greater depth than half-an-inch, it is obvious 

 that on a cloddy, ill-prepared surface many of the smaller seeds are utterly 

 lost by being buried too deeply ; while those which remain upon the clods 

 vegetate only for the plants to die. A loose soil is equally hurtful, as the 

 delicate seedlings fail to obtain a good root-hold, and thus many perish. 



Preparation after Roots.- — Immediately the land is free, it must be 

 deeply ploughed, and afterwards thoroughly manured before being ploughed 

 again and laid up rough for the winter, to secure the utmost possible 

 disintegration of its particles by the minute expansion and contraction of the 

 moisture with which the soil is charged, consequent on alternate freezing and 

 thawing. As soon as possible in February or March, it should be crumbled 

 with harrow and roller until a friable, firm and level seed-bed is obtained ; and 

 if this can be secured sufficiently early to safely permit of sowing being 

 deferred for a short time, the annual weeds which spring up can be destroyed 

 by a final turn of the harrow. 



Preparation after Potatoes. — Couch should be collected and burned 

 at the time an early crop of potatoes is dug ; and the land must be made friable 

 and firm by persistent use of the harrow and roller preparatory to autumn 

 sowing. 



Preparation after Cereals. — As soon as possible after harvest the 

 stubble should be broken up and cleaned ; and when sufficient time has 

 elapsed for annual weeds to start into growth and be destroyed with a harrow, 

 a heavy dressing of dung must be applied, previous to ploughing up the land 

 roughly for the winter. The spring preparation is identical with that already 

 described. 



Preparation after Pastures. — While an old sward can be turned 

 under, and another sowing may follow after a few days preparation, this 



