Report on Laying down Land to Permanent Pasture. 471 
ler acre of bone-dust, and continue the application annually until a good 
lose growth of clover is established, after which a less frequent dressing will 
uftice. 
Strong land answers best in grass, while light soils are more suitable for 
illage. 
As to drainage : an opinion is occasionally expressed, that land taken for 
)ermanent pasture may be over-drained, but I think it is an old-fashioned prc- 
udice. Our permanent pastures are kept uj) hy the application, from time to 
ime, of top-dressings of bone-dust, mixed occasionally with a small proportion 
if guano, sulphate of ammonia, &c., but no manurial treatment seems to be 
flicacious in this climate in preventing permanent pasture on some soils, more 
s^iecially light ones, from deteriorating, and in ten or twelve years' time the 
)lough has to be again used. 
Geoege Carter, 
Estate Agent to Lord Egerton of Tatton. 
23. Beasset Gbeen, Taeporley, Cheshire. 
I am owner and occupier of 173 acres of land, all in grass. The soil, with 
he exception of 2 acres or so, is stiff, with strong subsoil, lying upon a good 
)ed of marl. Long before the rise in the price of agricultural labour, and 
)efore stock had attained its present, value, I adopted my present mode of 
arming, convinced that it would pay better than ploughing. My exi^eriencc 
las proved that I was right. My land is all well drained, at an average 
epth of 26 inches ; this I consider deep enough for permanent pasture, 
hough if it were under tillage I shotild prefer 3 feet. I generally mow only 
bout 40 acres (I have only mowed 34 acres this summer) ; the land being 
;oocl, this gives quite sufficient winter keep, excepting in a very dry summer, 
v'hen I have to purchase a little wheat or oat straw. For a length of time 
have dressed the pasture land about every fourth year with 7 to 8 cwt. of 
loiled bones per acre, but now I mix with mineral superphosphate, and with 
ood results. All my hay-grass, with the exception of one field, situated half 
mile from the homestead, is grown with farmyard-manure; in addition to 
fhich I cover 4 acres of dairy-land with manure from the pigs, which greatly 
nriches the soil. I have found, from experience, that land which has been 
own in grass for fifty or sixty years requires a larger outlay to keep the 
erbage sweet than such as has been under tillage within twenty j'ears or so ; 
ut the older grass is more valuable for wintering young stock, as it carries so 
luch better. In my opinion stiff claj's are not adapted for tillage ; but deep 
Damy soils may be used advantageously lor that purpose. 
My present number of stock is 105 head of cattle (I had 113 head of 
attle in the early part of the season, but have lately sold 8 fatted beasts), all 
; years old and upwards, excepting 7 yearlings ; over 20 sheep, and 3 horses. 
milk about 50 cows. From 50 cows I made 12 tons of cheese last year, 
ong weight : but, in consequence of the drought, and scarcity of grass, I 
xpended 45^. in feeding stuffs, and gave the cattle 111 acres of mowing ; but 
expect to exceed this amount this year from the usual quantity of pasture- 
round, and without any extra feeding, though nearly half of my dairy stock 
ave suffered from the foot-and-mouth disease. The rest of the cattle are for 
3eding and store purposes. Three men compose my regular staff of labourers, 
xcept in hay time, when I get additional hands. 
My cattle milk and grow well. All my fattening is done on grass, con- 
3quently at a light expense. I do not rear my calves, but purchase stirks 
