12 
The Economical Application 
I 
instance, the first tliree crops should be cut at tlic rate of from 1£ 
to 2 acres per week, thus clearing the 10 acres in from five to six 
weeks : 1^^ acres will supply the green food required for the 
50 head for one week, so that there should be from the'first three 
t;uttings about 90 tons of green grass, the produce of about 7 acres 
once cut, to make into hay : this will come in for use at the end 
of the season, and make up for any deficiency in the last two 
crops, if required. 
It will be seen that the farm supplies the irrigated portion 
with the liquid manure furnished by the keep of 50 head of stock 
during 28 winter weeks, and gets in return the solid manure 
made during 24 weeks in the summer, from the consumption of 
some 500 tons of green grass. 
That the irrigation system, combined with house-feeding, 
enriches the whole farm, there is, I think, little doubt ; my own 
experience has satisfied me fully on that point ; but as to how 
much of this increase of fertility is due to the balance of exchange 
being in favour of the farm, or to the fact that the manure from 
grass, as generally consumed on pasture, is almost valueless, is a 
question yet to be determined. 
No time should be lost in applying the liquid after the grass 
has been removed, as by so doing you immediately prepare for 
the growth of another crop. It must be remembered that there 
arc only a few months of growing weather, therefore a loss of two 
or three days after each cutting may make a difference, at the end 
of the season, of one crop. Every effort should be made to produce 
a heavy first cutting; success much depends on this : less space 
is then required to furnish the amount of grass necessary for the 
stock, and consequently there is less ground requiring irrigation 
after the grass is taken off. With diligence and skilful manage- 
ment five crops may be taken in the first season, and as many the 
second. After this the land is broken up, and a heavy crop of 
oats may then be expected. 
The growth of a uniform supply of grass through the summer 
and autumn is invaluable ; and towards the end of the season, 
when pastures are bare and food scarce, a plentiful supply is by 
this means insured, and the stock kept in a progressive state. 
The Italian rye-grass remains longer palatable as food than grass 
produced in the ordinary way, and may also be given fresh from 
the scythe without any after-inconvenience to the animal. The 
best time for cutting is just as the ear is shooting out; there is 
at that time a fair proportion of solid matter in the plant, and 
the ground is not robbed of its grain-producing elements. To 
allude briefly to my own experience, I may state that, although 
labouring under disadvantages as to climate, I succeeded in 
raising very heavy grass-crops. In the summer of 1858 I took 
