Imioroved Grass Land, S^^c. 



431 



found the only effectual plan was to put a drain in every furrow 

 2 feet deep, for, if only in alternate ones, although in some cases 

 only 8 yards apart, the water would stand in those undrained. 

 After draining, I applied 7 cwt. salt per acre, and in a few months 

 about 12 to 16 bushels dissolved bones, or 2 cwt. Peruvian 

 guano. The effect has been wonderful, as two years ago the 

 fields were ordinary store land, and this summer have fattened 

 a short-horn heifer on each acre. I have not found much differ- 

 ence between bones and guano, but I think the animals prefer 

 the latter. They shoukl be applied to the land betw^een Nov. 1st 

 and Feb. 1st, but the nearer the first-named time the better. 



I have another communication to make to you respecting 

 growing swede turnips on strong clay land, with only one 

 ploughing. I think I have made a discovery by which much 

 labour is saved, and a good crop far more certain (at least if the 

 same plan is pursued by others, I have never heard of it) ; and 

 I think it of so much importance that I trouble you with this 

 long letter. 



As soon as the corn is cleared from the land intended for 

 turnips, the stubbles are pared with Glover's paring-plough. 

 This first-rate implement leaves the land in small ridges, so that, 

 when harrow^ed over, all the grass and weeds are very easily got out, 

 and the land is perfectly clean : 20 cart-loads of manure are then 

 spread on each acre, and ploughed in. The land is not touched 

 again till April or May, and then it is merely harrowed once 

 with ^'ery light harrows, and the turnips drilled (on the flat) 

 30 inches wide, with 2 cwt. Peruvian guano or superphosphate 

 per acre. 



I have now 90 acres which I have just begun to pull, all treated 

 as above, and, excepting a small part of two or three fields (not 

 exceeding 10 acres in the whole) w^hich was manured and 

 ploughed when too wet, I think it would be difficult to find the 

 same weight on the ground. 



I have not yet weighed the produce, but some of the fields are 

 estimated at more than 30 tons per acre, and many of the roots, 

 when cleaned and free from top, weighed 12 or 14 lbs. each in 

 September. 



I feel sure that this plan only requires to be tried to be gene- 

 rally adopted ; but it is absolutely necessary that the land should 

 be kept free from twitch. 



Believe me, yours very truly, 



Richard ]\Iilward. 



Tlntrgarton Priory, SouthiueU. 

 Oct. l-ith, 1853. 



