THE MANAGEMENT OF OLD GRASS LAND. 101 



every case where the plant stands thin on the ground I am 

 persuaded that it will pay to bush in a few pounds of the finer 

 grasses and clovers per acre. I am acquainted with a farmer 

 who sows twenty pounds of grass seeds per acre every autumn 

 on an old pasture, because he has found by experience that when 

 he omits doing so there is a difference of a ton of hay per acre in 

 the cut of the following year. The seed may either be sown 

 before the grass starts growth in February, or immediately the 

 hay has been cut in June. February is, however, a very good 

 time. On damp land preparation should be made by an applica- 

 tion of salt to the most weedy parts, and a severe dragging over 

 the entire surface. A well-mixed compost of Hme, the contents 

 of ditches, and any other available rich material, should be 

 distributed over the whole meadow, and the seeds can be sown 

 on any day when the ground is dry enough to permit the roller 

 to be used. The meadow should then be laid in for hay. And 

 after the cr<Dp is cut cattle may be allowed to depasture the 

 land, but sheep must not be admitted until the following year. 

 Upland pastures may be treated in a similar fashion. 



For destroying moss there is no better dressing than two 

 cart-loads of lime mixed with eight cart-loads of light loam per 

 acre : pure hme is too powerful to be apphed alone. The heap 

 should be turned several times until the lime is thoroughly slaked 

 and well incorporated with the loam. After dragging the turf 

 with heavy iron harrows, ten cart-loads of the compost should be 

 spread over each acre. There will soon be a marked improve- 

 ment, and a full return for the outlay. 



The effect of dragging a pasture is not everywhere appre- 

 ciated at its full value. The mechanical action breaks up the 

 congested surface, allows the atmosphere to penetrate to the 

 roots, and thus promotes a free and healthy growth of the plants. 

 It also enables the grasses to absorb and derive benefit from any 

 fertihsing agent or compost which may be apphed to the surface, 

 instead of allowing the dressing to be in great part washed away 

 by the first heavy rain. 



