On Permanent and Temporary Meadows and Pastures. 195 
found the proportion as high as 1 horse to 5 hectares (12^ acres). 
Now, although from 10 to 12 horses are bred annually from the 
working staff, that staff numbers only 108 for 1450 hectares, of 
which 1200 are under the plough. Even with an allowance of 
1 horse to 10 hectares, there is an economy of a dozen horses in 
addition to the loss of power arising from the breeding of a 
dozen foals annually, and this must be put to the credit of the 
steam plough, only two examples of which I have seen in the 
Netherlands, although I believe that there is a third. 
Another peculiarity which this farm shares with some others 
in the polder districts is the growth of crops having a high 
market value. Madder has been displaced by coal-tar dyes, but 
carraway seed is grown in its stead. Blue peas, flax, maize, and 
other crops are also grown, as a market can be found for them, 
or as they are found to be useful on the farm ; while the growth 
of rape-seed (colza) was promptly abandoned when the use of 
paraffin and other mineral oils reduced the price of colza-oil to 
an unremunerative level. 
VII. — On Permanent and Temporary Meadows and Pastures, 
and their Functions in the Economy of Agricultural Practice. 
By Monsieur H. JoTJLIE. 
[Extracts from a Paper read at a Meeting of the Societe des Agriculteurs de 
France, Feb. 23, 1881, and awarded a Gold Medal by that Society. Trans- 
lated by William Smith, Esq., Pen Park, Filton, Gloucestershire.] 
Deterioration of Permanent Grass-land. — Generally speaking, 
the products obtained from permanent meadows or pastures do 
not continue uniform, neither are they constant in quantity or 
quality. The yields, which are at first high, if the grass-land 
has been laid down under suitable conditions, soon fall off and 
take a normal level of production, which is maintained for a certain 
number of years, longer or shorter according to the nature of 
the soil, the care bestowed upon it, and the manures or dressings 
which the land receives. After this, deterioration more or less 
rapid, results from the progressive invasion of bad kinds of 
grasses, which gradually alter the quality of the grass or hay so 
as to render it innutritions, and lastly the yield falls below the 
limit at which it is remunerative. 
It is easy to explain the cause of this deterioration. At first 
the grass-plants find a soil suitably dressed with farmyard or 
other manure, that is to say, containing all the elements 
necessary for their growth. So they grow vigorously. But 
little by little the soil becomes more compact, the subsoil more 
O 2 
