420 
Laj/iiiff down Land to Permanent Pasture. 
turned in during fine weather ; but on no account sheep, as they 
are apt to pull up the young plants of grass. 
It will generally be better to leave the pasture till spring, 
giving it an additional rolling or bush-harrowing in the month 
of March, with a top-dressing of manure, if considered necessary. 
The young grass should not be grazed till the following autumn ; 
but two crops of hay should he taken in the first season — the 
first as early as possible. This frequent cutting checks the 
stronger grasses, and affords the more slender-growing kinds a 
better chance, and all are encouraged to tiller out ajid form a 
good close sward ; whereas, if allowed to stand too long before 
mowing, the early kinds would become strong and ripe to the 
injury of others. 
Again, if cattle are allowed to graze after the first mowing (or 
instead of mowing), they will pick out certain grasses and clovers, 
leaving others which in time become more coarse than is 
desirable, and have a very unsightly, patchy appearance. 
If grazing is practised, as being more in accordance with the 
requirements of the owner, then a scythe should be applied once 
or twice during the first summer to those plots of grass which 
the cattle leave. 
Brcahimj up of Grass-land. — Some old pastures are so vmpro- 
ductive, and so foul with Aveeds, that it is desirable to break 
them up, grow a crop of turnips, and then sow seeds for perma- 
nent pasture. The subsequent crops of grass will be inconi- 
parably better than were obtained previous to breaking up. 
Paring, burning, and spreading the ashes for manure is an excel- 
lent plan, and very superior to ploughing the turf in. The 
expense of this operation will soon be repaid ten-fold by the 
increased crops of hay and pasturage. About the beginning of 
March is the best time to begin the paring ; and as to the burn- 
ing, no time should be lost when dry, so as to get the land ready 
for turnip-sowing. 
Improvement of Grass-kinds. — Thousands of meadows and up- 
land pastures are producing less than half the quantity of hay 
and feed which the land is capable of, from a deficiency of plants 
of those kinds which are most productive and most suitable for 
the soil. In some cases, where the pasture is very foul with 
weeds and moss, it is advisable to pare and burn the old sward, 
and resow the land entirely, as above directed. In some other 
instances it may be desirable to drain and manure the land ; but 
in most cases great improvement can be effected by merely sow- 
ing renovating-seeds (which should consist of the finest and 
most nutritive kinds of perennial grasses and clovers) in the 
following manner. Heavy harrows should be drawn over the 
