18 PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



after the most earnest effort ; but no one should lay himself 

 open to the possibihty of self-reproach for having contributed 

 to partial failure by neglect. More of the failures in attempt- 

 ing to create pastures could, if all the facts were known, be 

 traced directly to the imfavourable state of the soil, and to its 

 previous cultivation, than is generally believed, and it is true 

 wisdom, as well as sound economy, to wait a year, or even 

 two years, rather than risk sowing upon soil which is foul or 

 out of condition. 



The bare fallow, however, will be the exception ; as a rule 

 it cannot be afforded. In the interests of the coming pasture, a 

 root crop is the next best preparation, and unless the land is 

 capable of growing a first-class crop of roots it wiU be incom- 

 petent to produce even a fair pasture. Now a root crop offers 

 this advantage, that, while few are disposed to manure a bare 

 fallow heavily, a thorough dressing of farm-yard dung will not 

 be denied to the mangels or swedes. To young grasses it is 

 a great gain when, instead of manuring at or soon after sowing, 

 the land can be made rich and put into good heart in the pre- 

 ceding year. The tender and delicate roots of the rising grass 

 plant may be seriously impaired by contact with crude raw 

 manure ; whereas they will readily assimilate a rich dressing 

 which has had time to become mellow, or to be absorbed into 

 the staple. 



Supposing land to be prepared by feeding off a crop of 

 turnips with sheep, it may happen that the turnips have to 

 be supplemented with meadow hay. If so, it is important that 

 the hay should be only such as has been cut very early, other-' 

 wise the ripe seeds of the least useful grasses will, as they pass 

 the sheep undigested, in due time spring up and make the 

 pasture foul. Such a grass as Holcus lanaMs and other worth- 

 less varieties often find their way into a pasture in this manner. 



Whether the roots are fed off during September or October 

 by sheep eating hay or cake — and the use of cake is to be 

 strongly commended^or whether the roots are carted off during 



