Report on Latjin(/ down Laud to Pcr.iianent Pasture. 495 
icontinue the practice. Farmyard-duiig, on the contrary, has always produced 
a marked effect, though put on at any time of the year. I have also used 
road-scrapings from oolite roads with great benefit to the character of the 
herbage. I have made no alteration in the quantity of farmyard-manure to 
my arable lands, which gets about 620 loads annually ; but since covering 
my open cattleyards I have 576 loads to spare for the jiasture instead of 300 
as heretofore, a result of making manure under cover which I had not antici- 
pated. I mow one-third of my grass land yearly. The remainder and the 
aftermath are depastured by cattle and horses till late in autumn, when the 
ewes come on and remain till February, getting chaff and pulped roots, and 
for the last six weeks or two months i to 2 lb. of cake or corn daily. I find 
my grass lands pay better than before. Thus, for three years (1863 to 1866), 
the average return from cattle was 3'20L ; from horses, 17^ ; and for the three 
years ending December 1874 : cattle, 527?. ; horses, 88Z. In the first period, 
the average number of cattle kept was : — 
Number of Cattle .. .. 41. Value .. .. 479?. 
Number of Horses .. .. 4. A^alue .. ., 37/. 
In the latter period : — ■ 
Number of Cattle .. .. 53. Value .. ., 725?. 
Number of Horses .. .. 8. Value .. .. 138?. 
H. J. Marshall. 
17. Harbeeton, South Devon. 
I rent on lease, in which there are comijensation clauses for unexhausted 
manure, 240 acres of land of variable soil : some parts being on lime-rock 
with a dunstone surface ; others, in the valley, black fen and clay ; and other 
parts slate and white-acre, some very heavy, others very light. The climate 
is vfarni and humid. In 1867 I began to lay down permanent pasture, and 
of this new pasture I have now 20 acres. At that time my farm was com- 
posed of 156 acres of arable land, 10 acres meadow, 52 acres permanent 
pasture, and 22 acres marsh laud, which has since been drained, broken up, 
and cropped with a view to its being relaid with artificial grasses of the best 
quality. 
I found lime indispensable in this land. My first crop was ley oats, which 
was almost a total failure as far as grain was concerned. I then had a sample 
of the soil analyzed, and the chemist advised me it was rich in vegetable 
matter, but required time to decompose it, and that it would then grow good 
crops. The following summer it grew an excellent green crop, followed by 
wheat, which was equally good. One of these plots is now laid down to per- 
manent grass, and I have no hesitation in saying its value is enhanced tenfold. 
Another piece of ground sown to permanent pasture is a poor heavy clay, 
which somehow, what with expense of working and the uncertainty of growing 
fair crops, always brought me in debt. Aided by a few dressings of farmyard- 
dung, and irrigated by a small stream of water, this plot is doing well, and is 
a good run for cows and young cattle. 
Among the reasons that induced me to lay down pasture, are — 1st. The 
increasing demand and high price of animal food. 
2nd. The increased price of labour, and the low price of wheat. 
3rd. The uncertainty of growing good crops, and the quantity of rain we 
get in this district making the harvest uncertain. 
The best preparation 1 have found for pasture grass seeds is to sow with 
barley after swedes ; and if the soil is xmsuitable for barley, the seeds should 
be sown without any other crop, the end of May or June, the ground pre- 
