798 



Moorland Grazing in the North of England. [Dec, 



ci'owns of the ridges. It is probable that a good effect would be 

 produced by cuts with a disc harrow or by other means, made 

 on the crowns and in the direction of the ridges, so as to allow 

 rain water to penetrate to the soil. Grazing with cattle is being 

 done and will help this tendenc}^ The best clover develop- 

 ment is on virgin moorland on the northern part of the enclosure, 

 where the soil is near the surface and there is not much matty 

 covering. Between the rushes in these parts clover plants are 

 • developing well, and this is also taking place immediately to the 

 north on the unenclosed moor. Cattle are eating the herbage 

 much better in the enclosed area than sheep are doing on the 

 moor outside. On the west of the area the moorland is dry and 

 harsh and here there is little result. Tt is evident, therefore, 

 that this latter is not the kind of moorland on which improve- 

 ment should be attempted. 



The important lesson already derived is that there are only 

 limited areas of moorland which can be profitabty improved by 

 basic slag or other phosphatic manures, and that the areas that 

 can be so improved are those on which small clover plants can 

 be found and where the soil is fairly near the surface. Soil of 

 a loamy or heavier character is likely to respond to phosphatic 

 manuring, but sandy moorland will probably not do so to any- 

 thing like the same extent. Evidently a damp condition of the 

 moor is a distinct advantage, provided the land is not water- 

 logged v/ith stagnant (marshy) water. Where' there is much 

 dead organic matter on the surface the phosphatic manures 

 cannot reach the soil underneath for many years, and there is 

 little hone of improvement for a long time. Clover plants are 

 i-cni'iliv nbsent on such areas. 



Trials near Haltwhistle, 1920,— Alderman Sample has made 

 similar trials at Whiteside, 4 miles north of Haltwhistle, at an 

 altitude of about 700 ft. High gnide basic slag (10 cwt. per acre) 

 and mineral phosphates in equivalent quantities, applied in the 

 winter of 1920-21. are already showing good results on moorland 

 where the conditions are favourable, as at Highfield, but there 

 is practically no response to these manures where the herbage 

 is harsh and coarse in character, with no clover plants and, a 

 thick mat of organic matter. 



The results were of the same character on Tipalt moor, adjoin- 

 ing Whiteside (Mr. Edward Joicey, Blenkinsop Hall. Halt- 

 whistle) ; on the Paise farm, 4^,- miles from Hexham (the late 

 Mr. E. 0. Blayney), and at Westbnrnhope farm, 9 miles south 

 of Hexhnm (Mr. Edward Bobson). 



