116 PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



Breaking up of Old Grass Land. 



Some pastures are so unproductive and foul with weeds, that in 

 order to secure better crops there is every inducement to break 

 them up, grow turnips or other roots for a year or two, and then 

 sow good permanent grasses and clovers. This is always a 

 serious proceeding ; but if, in addition to breaking up the land, 

 there be the additional willingness to brave the cost of paring and 

 burning, I beheve the operation may often be worth undertaking, 

 provided the soil is suitable. 



A poor mountain pasture, however practicable it may be to 

 ameliorate its condition in other ways, must on no account be 

 destroyed. Paring and burning will almost certainly fail to in- 

 crease its productiveness, and it is well-nigh impossible to form a 

 sod on such land by artificial means. Nor wiU burning answer 

 with any light sandy soil. Unless clay is a principal constituent, 

 burning is to be avoided, for it will only do harm. As a rule 

 peats and thin clays resting on chalk are benefited by the process. 

 The colour of the soil generally indicates whether or not burning 

 will be advantageous. A bronzy black soil is fair evidence of 

 the presence of protoxide of iron. Where this chemical com- 

 pound exists in quantity burning will generally improve the soil, 

 for the protoxide is injurious to vegetation; by the action of 

 fire it becomes a peroxide, which is beneficial to plant-life. 



An old and easy mode of discovering whether land will 

 benefit by burning is to place some sods in a large iron pot or 

 kettle, closely covered, and put it over a gentle fire. There must 

 not be enough heat to create a flame. Gradually the sods will 



