1920.] 



The Lmprovkment of Grass Land. 



369 



THE TEMPORARY LEY AND THE 



IMPROVEMENT OF GRASS LAND. 



In a lecture given at the Bath and West C^ountics Show under 

 the auspices of the Ministry and as part of the latter's grass-land 

 campaign, Professor R. G. Stapledon, M.A., of the University 

 College of Wales, Aberystwyth, stated that if British agriculture 

 is to be of maximum service to the Nation, and is to give 

 the fullest recompense to the farmer, a proper balance must 

 be maintained between crops and grass. He mentioned, 

 also, that owing to the high price and scarcity of all foodstuffs, 

 this balance will tend more and more in favour of the plough. 

 He felt convinced that while less permanent grass is wanted, 

 what we retain of any and every kind of grass must be 

 every inch of it productive. Our derelict grass lands are 

 our agricultural slums, and to begin all over again with a new 

 system of rotations might prove to be the best method of 

 improvement. 



Grass land improvement is largely effected by the use of 

 wild white clover and phosphatic manures, and of productive 

 instead of half productive temporary leys. It is necessary, 

 therefore, that we should have phosphates, white clover and 

 good seed of the proper kinds for leys. 



In considering the possibilities of effecting improvement 

 of grass land the following questions should be asked : — (i) 

 Will any field that is to be improved respond quickly to surface 

 treatments ? (2) Would it be better to break the sod and begin 

 again ? (3) If it is a case of beginning again (a) would it be 

 better to get it down with a permanent mixture as soon as 

 possible, or (b) would it be better to alter the scheme somewhat, 

 taking a rotation plus the four-year ley around the farm, rather 

 than ploughing one corner of a farm and leaving the rest as 

 permanent grass ? 



The Temporary Ley. — Professor Stapledon dealt first of all 

 with the temporary ley, and pointed out that it is quite certain 

 that this kind of ley will not justify itself unless : — (i) It can 

 be established rapidl}^ and with reasonable certainty ; (2) It 

 will be i)ractically uniformly productive over the whole period 

 of four years (in some districts a three- and in others a five- or 

 six-year ley may be more advantageous) ; (3) It will give 

 per annum as much keep as or more keep than a permanent 

 pasture under the same conditions of soil and climate ;- (4) 

 It will impart as much fertility to the soil for subsequent 

 arable crops as a broken permanent pasture — possibly more. 



