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The Improvement of Moorland Pasture. 



[Oct., 



The improvement of moorland pasture formed the main 

 subject of a lecture given by Professor D. A. Gilchrist, of 



The Improvement Armstron 8' Colle §" e > Newcastle-on-Tyne, to 

 I farmers at Skipton on 6th September, 



Moorland Pasture. mde " * he aus P ices of the - Alinistl 7' s 

 grassland campaign. 



The mountain and heath land in England and Wales used 

 for grazing extends, it was pointed out, to over four million 

 acres, and while a large proportion of this area is not capable 

 of improvement (especially such as is bare rock or poor peat) , 

 considerable patches of better moorland pasture are to be found 

 which are better eaten off by grazing stock, and which usually 

 contain small clovers and other leguminous plants in their 

 herbage. Much of our present moorland was under cultiva- 

 tion many years ago, and such areas, together with the better 

 areas of virgin moorland, are those on which improvement is 

 likely to be possible. 



Examples of Improvement by the Use of Basic Slag. — 

 Professor Gilchrist took as examples two moorland farms in 

 the Hexham district. The first farm is about 750 feet above 

 sea level, is 360 acres in area, and consists half of virgin moor 

 and half of moor formerly under cultivation. Excellent 

 meadow hay is now grown on this farm as the result of suit- 

 able dressings of basic slag and dung; and marked improvement 

 has been obtained on virgin moor within two years by the 

 application of 10 cwt. per acre of high grade basic slag. The 

 difference between slagged and unslagged moor is very 

 striking. 



The second moorland farm is at an altitude of nearly 1,000 

 feet, and is 1,130 acres in area. Sandstones of the Millstone 

 Grit are the main underlying rocks, and the lower land of the 

 farm lies chiefly on Boulder Clay, with occasional smaller areas 

 of Glacial Sands. Much of the land has moorish peat on the 

 first few inches of the surface. On this farm, where clover 

 and* other leguminous plants exist, basic slag has largely 

 developed such herbage, and consequently the grass herbage as 

 well. One enclosed area has received two dressings of basic 

 slag in the past ten years, and has now excellent grass and 

 clover herbage, while, immediately beyond the wall of the 

 enclosure, the moor is of a poor character, producing little 

 but heather and similar plants. On the unenclosed moorland 

 basic slag has improved quite large areas, which are well 

 •distributed in order to encourage the grazing stock to keep 



