The Impi'ovement of Grass Lands. 
321 
effected in Cheshire, and in some other places ; but large tracts 
of dairy land are subjected to a continual process of exhaustion of 
their phosphates and other constituents, by the selling off of the 
butter and cheese, and the rearing of young stock, without any 
return being made to the land either by dressing or manuring, 
except perhaps by the application of the small quantity of 
manure made by the cattle kept and by pigs, and even this 
manure is oftentimes misappropriated to the arable lands. This 
state of things is one that imperatively calls for alteration. It 
cannot be too strongly condemned ; for it is of little use to make 
agreements with tenants to manure their land, unless they are 
also shown that it is to their advantage to keep the land in a 
good state. 1 have heard it affirmed that if the dairy farmer uses 
manure for his land it spoils his cheese, and I have little doubt 
that the cheese is sometimes affected by the use of nitrogenous 
manures, as can be shown by cheese factors in many districts. 
But this proves simply that it requires a little alteration in the 
way of making the cheese, probably a little more time before it 
is put together, or something of the kind, which Dr. Voelcker 
could readily explain if the facts of any particular case were put 
before him ; whilst perhaps double the quantity of cheese may be 
obtained from the same land. Since the introduction of artificial 
manures the most enlightened and skilful arable farmers have found 
that it conduces to their own advantage to prevent the land from 
becoming exhausted — in fact, to get and maintain it in the most 
vigorous condition : and it is most gratifying to witness the im- 
mense improvement that has been made in large tracts of arable 
land within the last twenty years ; and that, too, often when held 
under the worst of landlords and with bad agreements. I have 
even met with instances where the bill for artificial manure has 
been equal to the rent. The reason of this is that the farmer 
sees that the liberal use of artificial manures is to his own advan- 
tage ; and so, too, would the grass farmer, were it not that the 
deterioration of his land is a slower (though not less certain) 
process, and that the return for improvements is slower also. 
Hence the landlord should look to this matter, and either be 
careful to get tenants possessed of capital and intelligence, and 
give them security of tenure, or assist in manuring the land, 
charging the tenant a percentage on the requisite outlay. 
What I have termed "Medium Grass Lands" must ultimately 
be attended to, and there is less excuse for their neglect than in the 
case of the lands treated under the first head, because they will 
safely justify any judicious outlay, and most tenants would 
gladly pay interest on works of improvements, as may be seen in 
Cheshire. 
In improving medium grass lands the first remedial measure 
