PEEMANENT AND TEMPOEAEY PASTUEES. 



The Drainage of Grass Land. 



It is beyond the scope of this work to treat the subject of 

 drainage exhaustively. But while giving a few practical hints on 

 draining operations, I propose to refer to some of the laws which 

 render it impossible to maintain a first-class pasture unless land 

 is effectually drained either by natural or by artificial means. 



An impression widely prevails that, however necessary 

 effectual drainage may be for other farm crops, grass lands 

 may with impunity be left undrained. This is only one part 

 of the tradition of carelessness which past generations have 

 handed down concerning pastures. No one who is accustomed to 

 examine water-logged meadows can fail to be impressed by the 

 worthless nature of the herbage they produce. If there were no 

 cure, or the expense of the remedy were out of proportion to the 

 benefit to be derived from it, apathy might be excusable. But 

 as to the greater part of the undrained grass land which is now 

 lying in a comparatively unprofitable condition through stagnant 

 moisture, there is no doubt that the vegetation can be immensely 

 improved in quality. Drainage of pastures has never been known 

 to be other than beneficial ; and in most instances the quantity of 

 hay or feed will also be greatly augmented, although from some 

 land already yielding a large bulk of herbage of a low quality the 

 increase after draining may not be immediately apparent. The total 

 bulk may even be temporarily diminished. But the loss will be 

 confined to those plants which possess little or no feeding value, 

 and therefore regret need not be expended on their disappearance. 

 And, as a rule, the work can be carried out at a cost which will 



