320 The Improvement of Grass Lands. 
tills is not so desirable as the natural grasses. Of course, the 
value of the land is an important consideration in regard to all 
these recommendations, as many things which could not be 
allowed on land of higher value may be expedient on that of 
which I am treating. These remarks also apply to dressing and 
manuring, which come next under consideration. Farmyard 
manure, bones, special manures, lime, sah, earth, road-scrapings, 
— in fact, almost anything that can be obtained, — may with ad- 
vantage be used on this class of land. But the first dressing 
should be as substantial as it can possibly be, with the object, 
not only of manuring the land, but also of inducing the growth of 
a fresh and better herbage. The consumption of roots and the use 
of artificial food will also be very beneficial : these will be further 
treated of in another part of this paper. Wherever practicable a 
good harrowing and rolling every year will be found very bene- 
ficial. In many cases it will be more desirable on this class of 
land to break it up, and lay down with rye-grass or permanent 
grass-seeds. I have seen many instances in which the land has 
been made to keep five times the quantity of stock by its having 
been simply ploughed and sown with rye-grass ; but if rye- 
grass only is used, it will require to be renewed every third or 
fourth year. This, however, will often pay far better than if the 
land be left in its original condition. 
I have said nothing of fern, which in some instances is largely 
grown on this kind of grass land. I have never been able to 
satisfy myself that the fern is prejudicial. It grows chiefly on 
land that Is dry, and on soils that are liable to get burnt up in a 
dry summer ; and I have often observed that though on a part of 
a field where no fern grew the grass had been scorched, yet on 
other portions, where there were ferns. It had continued to grow 
all through the dry weather, from the shade thus afforded to the 
herbage ; still, If the fern grows too thickly, It, of course, becomes 
an injury. Tills, however, with a little attention may be avoided, 
and the expense of cutting will be recouped by the fern being 
stored as litter for winter use, thus becoming returnable to the 
soil as manure. 
In some Instances, in which the herbage has been poor, great 
benefit has been derived by simply paring and burning the sur- 
face, spreading the ashes, and sowing fresh grass-seeds. I have 
seen immense improvement effected on hill lands by this simple 
process. 
Medium Grass Laxd. 
Under this head may be classed the principal dairy and 
breeding lands of the kingdom, which, in many districts, 
are sadly neglected. Great improvement, however, has been 
