Report on Laying doion Land to Permanent Pasture. 451 
price of barley ! " (p. 489). Mr. J. Algernon Clarke also informs 
me that on the strong deep soils of Lincolnshire there is a tendency 
to increase the area of arable land by the popular introduction of 
steam-cultivation, enabling farmers to break up by steam-power 
stubborn poor soils, difficult to manage otherwise, and thus 
bring them under the influence of the plough. From Essex and 
Kent, again, the majority of the replies received to my inquiries 
state that no diminution of the area under corn is taking place, 
but that many persons are breaking up their poor pastures and 
. converting them into arable land. 
i On light, dry, shallow soils, and on poor stiff clays, per- 
■ manent pasture is with difficulty made or maintained, especially 
where there is not an abundant rainfall. This accounts for 
more than one correspondent making what, to most persons, 
will appear exaggerated statements of the labour and expense 
of laying down permanent pasture. Thus, Mr. Purvis says, 
" it will take a life-time to make good old pasture of old arable 
land," and Mr. Christy, that " a good pasture until after many 
years is the exception in this district " (p. 488). A moist climate 
! is indispensable for a good and rapid growth of grass. Where 
the rainfall is above the average, pastures are more profitable, and 
improve more rapidly, even on soils of inferior quality, than they 
do on richer soils with a rainfall considerably under the average. 
I Thus pastures on poor soils in Wales and the West of England 
I will improve under treatment that would be quite insufficient to 
increase the fertility of grass-producing soils on the eastern coast 
of England. It is impossible to contend, except under great 
disadvantage, with the influences of climate. An average rain- 
fall of upwards of 30 inches per annum appears to be necessary 
to secure favourable conditions for the growth of grass. Where 
the rainfall is less in amount than this, and the soil dry and 
poor, the judicious management of arable land will, I think, be 
found the most profitable course to pursue. 
But although permanent pastures are not so readily made in 
the eastern counties as in the western and northern, large crops 
of artificial grasses are easily grown. On quick soils these get 
well established in the early spring ; and afterwards, unless 
grazed bare, cover the soil, and retain its moisture sufficiently to 
keep up a continuous growth during summer. The artificial 
grasses do not require so much moisture as the natural species. 
There is, therefore, encouragement to extend the cultivation of 
artificial grasses, when an increased production of grass is de- 
sired, in the drier climate of the eastern corn-growing counties, 
these having, as a compensation, the capacity for growing good 
crops of artificial grasses. The enlarged area of sainfoin culti- 
vated in the corn-growing counties is one feature of the present 
