Report on Laying down Land to Permanent Pasture. 497 
being laid down was the laigh price of labour in years gone by or not ; but 
labour in these mining districts has been at a high price for years. It has long 
been the custom hereabouts to sow mixed clovers and rye-grasses, and allow 
the land to remain a considerable time — sometimes six or seven years — in 
grass ; then to break it up, crop for a few years, and then lay the land down 
again. This custom has prevailed to a considerable extent, and under present 
circumstances is sure to increase. No altered conditions have 3'et been 
sufficiently powerful to make any marked changes in our system. 1 formerly 
farmed nearly on the four-field system ; but now, instead of clovers, I sow a 
mixture of rj-e-grass and Dutch clovers, and instead of breaking up after 
one year, I shall allow it to remain as long as it will produce a pro6table 
growth, say tluce or four years. I have tried no other mixture of seeds, finding 
rye-grass, Dutch clover, and the natural grasses of the land, to answer very 
well ; and this I believe is the general experience in these parts. On another 
fanu, where sainfoin thrives, i have sown that plant, greatly preferring it 
to any mixture of grasses. This alteration of system has not been sufficiently 
long tried to enable me to give the pecuniary result ; but my impression is 
that farming will not be less profitable under the altered system than it was 
before. 
E, Stratton. 
19. CiLIAU-WEN, FiSHGUAED, PeMBEOKESHIEE. 
My farm is about 320 acres, of various kinds of soil, and is my own property. 
The avenige rainfall from 1849 to 1874 was 48'60 inches. I have laid down jjer- 
manent grass for the last 18 or 20 years, and my whole farm, except 54 acres, is 
now under it. Its fomier proportions were — arable land, 6-12ths ; meadow, 
l-12th; permanent jjastures, 5-12ths. I was not influenced by the labour 
questiou, as I had commenced laying down before the agitation began, but I 
always thought that dairy-produce with fat stock on fair land was more profit- 
able than growing corn. In selecting my fields I avoided as much as possible 
all clay and yellow rab soil, preferring the soiithcrn aspect. I have always sown 
seeds with barley after turnips. I do not think drair ing essential, but have never 
found my drained land too dry. I sow both light and heavy seeds together in 
April. I have purchased mixed grass from seedsmen, but now soi/, with satis- 
lactory results, a mixture of Pacey's rye-grass, red and Dutch clover, Timothy- 
grass, and alsike, with a grain crop allowed to ripen. I have never tried 
" inoculation." I mow the first year, and graze afterwards. I am convinced 
that this mode of farming pays better, especially now that the cost of labour 
is so high, and the prices for dairy produce and lat stock are so fairly remu- 
nerative. I now let a large portion of my farm for grazing purposes, and find 
it carries a large quantity of stock. During the third year recently laid-down 
gi'ass diminishes in quantity of herbage, after which it should be top-dressed 
and restored. I have improved my permanent grass principally by dissolved 
■ bones and compost. I have used lime, varying from 30 to 40 barrels per acre, 
on rich alluvial soil with marked advantage. I feed annually from 70 to 80 
sheep on about 10 acres with turnips, coin, hay, and cake. I am obliged to 
use a greater quantity of artificial manure for cereals and green crops. I mow 
ibout 35 or 40 acres every year, but seldom mow the same land twice without 
top-dressing. I depasture the rest with cattle and sheep. My experience is 
that a judicious outlay will be repaid in two years, and the land improved 
considerably for another three or four years. 
ii D. Evans. 
