IMMEDIATE APTEE-MANAGEMENT OP NEW PASTUKES. 91 



hand-hoe, and for the sake of the future of the pasture it is 

 well worth whUe to give these strong-growing weeds early and 

 persistent attention. Thistles can be eradicated by repeatedly 

 chopping them off near to the ground with an old scythe until 

 they bleed to death. 



• Should it be found by the middle of May that the plant has 

 failed, not a moment must be lost in shallow-ploughing or culti- 

 vating the land, breaking, it down again into fine tilth, and re- 

 sowing. Supposing, however, that the seed has taken over the 

 main area, leaving some bare spots, these must have their crust 

 broken with a hoe, followed by a heavy rake, and be re-sown, 

 raked over, and again rolled down. When the plots which have 

 missed plant are too large for hand work, the harrow can be 

 employed instead of the hoe and rake. It will never do to 

 assume that the crop is all right. Eather assume that it is not 

 perfect until examination has shown the contrary. It is one of 

 those cases in which a farmer can afford to have it proved to his 

 own satisfaction that he is wrong. 



For grasses and clovers sown with corn only one thing can 

 be done untd the corn is cut, and this is to go over the ground 

 to remove thistles, &c. It is always worth doing on a corn 

 crop alone, but, when grasses are there also, the operation 

 becomes imperative. Immediately the corn is off the ground 

 the whole field should be carefuUy examined to ascertain 

 whether there is a plant or not. After a wet harvest there will 

 be no difficulty in setthng the point promptly. But in a dry 

 season I do not advocate a hasty judgment. The dry stubble, 

 the" parched ground, and the brown herbage will all help to mis- 

 lead. A few hours of warm soaking rain may put a new com- 

 plexion on an old face in so brief a time as to produce an almost 

 magical effect, and therefore it is not wise to be in too great a 

 hurry to pronounce upon success or failure. I know an instance 

 where a spring sowing of permanent grasses was followed by a 

 dry summer, and when the corn was cut no plant at all was 

 visible. A top-dressing of four cwt. per acre of bones and super- 



