26 
The Management of Grass Land. 
arranged to supply the place of the previous hill ; the soil thrown 
out is knocked at intervals, and eventually reduced by the bush 
harrow, and covered by the neighbouring grasses. 
An exceedingly heavy roller is then passed over that portion of 
the field which has been under improvement, it being usual with 
the best graziers to remove a certain quantity every season. No- 
vember is considered the best month for this operation, as the 
insects are then exposed to the winter elements, and the soil 
thrown out is more certain to be pulverized. 
Theye«ccs upon grass lands form an important branch in their 
management : they are numerous and varied in their character, 
each district having its own style of fence or particular method of 
management. Upon the old enclosed grass lands in the midland 
counties are found troublesome hedges, many of which have stood 
the " test of ages ;" but are now exceedingly thin or gappy, and 
are only made secure by post and rail fencing being placed in 
them where required ; such fences, as also the more modern ones, 
have a protecting ditch on the outer side of the property, which 
in many cases decides whom the fence belongs to, when the occupa- 
tions of two parties under the same landlord ajiproach each other. 
The management of these hedges is simply to keep laving them 
down in the thin or weak places, or to lay them as rough as pos- 
sible against the attack of the oxen depastured on the land. 
Upon the more recently enclosed pasture lands, the fences are 
found much better, and are usually managed by the common 
practice of laying them in a strong manner, care being taken to 
reverse the side to which they were inclined in the preceding 
cutting, the dike being cleansed at the same period. 
In the formation of these fences, it has been customary to plant 
two rows of quick upon a moderate bank of earth, formed by the 
surplus soil thrown up from the ditch. In the after management, 
when full grown, it is usual to cut off one row entire, and form 
the fence or protecting hedge of the other ; they are thus kept in 
a fruitful state: when cut the next time, they are reversed. 
In many parts of Leicestershire it is the custom to place a 
single post and rail on the one side, and to keep the ditch well 
cleansed on the other. 
The pastures in the marshland or lowland districts of the 
country are chielly bounded by dikes from 10 to 12 feet wide, 
or by drains acting as public water-courses ; in either case it not 
only gives the country a cold and vacant appearance, but is found 
exceedingly bleak for cattle, particularly when first removed to 
the early pastures in the spring months. In those districts si- 
tuated near to large rivers or outfalls, the practice of taking in 
fresh water upon the farm is an invaluable one during the 
summer months, grips being made in various directions on the 
