TEMPORARY PASTURES 117 



cut ; and as the grasses are robust and comparatively coarse, 

 although none the less nourishing on that account, they wUl 

 not be injured by the hoofs of cattle. The rolling should be 

 done in November, instead of waiting until spring. Supposing 

 stock to be kept off the ground, and the autumn prove warm 

 and genial, it will sometimes be possible by the end of 

 October to get a cut of useful green food. 



The pasture needs bush-harrowing and rolling down early 

 in spring before being laid in for hay. The first year's crop 

 will mainly consist of Rye Grasses and Clovers, but the bottom 

 of a three or four years' ley may be expected to improve for 

 at least two years, and the Foxtail, Timothy, Cocksfoot, and 

 other plants wUl increase in bulk in the third and fourth 

 seasons. 



A heavy dressing of cake-fed farmyard manure, apphed 

 towards the close of the year, wUl pay well. Nothing improves 

 artificial grasses so much, and there must be no niggardliness 

 in its use. The fresher the manure when placed on the 

 gi'ound, and the less it has been allowed to ferment, the better 

 the grass wUl thrive. In the Kidmore grass experiments 

 good results were also obtained from a dressing per acre 

 of one hundredweight of nitrate of soda, with three-quarters 

 of a hundredweight of muriate of potash, given in alternate 

 years. 



Leys which are intended to stand for a period of six or 

 eight years are especially suited for poor or hUly land which 

 cannot be profitably cultivated until an improvement has been 

 effected in the texture of the soil. By a judicious selection of 

 deep-rooted plants much can be done to increase the fertiUty 

 of the land, reduce the cost of tUlage, and discourage the 

 growth of weeds. Among the plants which are adapted for 

 the purpose are Burnet, Chicory, Kidney Vetch, Cocksfoot, 

 Tall Fescue, Tall Oat Grass, Rib Grass, and Yarrow. Nearly 

 all endure prolonged drought almost with impunity. The 

 selection of these plants and the proportions of the seeding 



