1059 



tion of permanent pastures. In some of the North Wales 

 experiments this superiority was often clearly seen in the thicker 

 sole of the pasture, even in the first year. 



The question of white clover is obviously very important, not 

 only in the formation of long duration pastures but even for 

 short duration leys, as a good development of white clover in the 

 pasture has a beneficial effect on the subsequent arable crops. 



Tn the formation of a pasture, however, the seed mixture as 

 a whole and the purpose for which it is intended must be taken 

 into consideration. Seed mixtures should be designed according 

 to the length of time the field is to be in grass and the type of 

 soil. There are also other factors of great importance, 

 such as the local conditions, especially altitude and climate r 

 which need to be taken into account. 



With seed mixtures for pastures of several years' duration, 

 the problem is more complicated than in the case of short 

 duration pastures, and in considering the question of permanent 

 pastures the difficult period which is usually encountered 

 between the third and the seventh } 7 ears has to be considered. 



The Treatment of Established Pastures. — Tn the formation 

 of a permanent pasture the seed mixture is very important, 

 although by no means all-important. On second-rate and 

 poorer land at least, the effects of a good seed mixture can 

 easily be destroyed by unsuitable and ungenerous treatment, 

 while it is also true that a good pasture may ultimately be 

 obtained by generous and careful treatment, where a relatively 

 poor seed mixture has been used. In the latter case, how- 

 ever, the land does not produce its maximum over a number 

 of years, while in the former case it hardly ever is given a 

 chance to do so. It is very important that these pastures which 

 are really " in the making " should be carefully managed as 

 regards drainage, manuring, grazing, or mowing, so that they 

 may not reach the exhausted state in w r hich w T ide areas in this 

 country are found at the present time. 



Much of our semi-derelict grass land might have been much 

 more easily saved by better treatment in the past, but it is not 

 yet too late to mend. 



Experiments in North Wales have also showm that much 

 very poor grass land of various kinds — on peat, on thin hill 

 loams, and on heavier soils — which had never been treated in. 

 any way, is capable of great improvement, and, generally 

 speaking, in these experiments ground mineral phosphate and! 

 basic slag were about equally successful. 



