16 
The Management of Grass Land. 
grass lands is the work of nature, and it is only of recent date lhat 
much attention has been paid to their management. But since 
the improved state of agriculture and the breeding and rearing of 
cattle have become general, their winter food has become in request 
and valuable ; hence the study to increase it by artificial herbage 
on the arable lands, and by the improved management of the spon- 
taneous productions of the grass or meadow lands. 
Upon farms of any size it is customary to select a suitable por- 
tion of the occupation for meadow lands, which are kept under 
grass for the purpose of affording the necessary supply of hay, but 
are depastured at other seasons of the year, according to the occu- 
pation : those fields selected for meadow lands are usually more 
moist or cool in their character than those reserved for permanent 
pasture, as they are found to produce more hay and throw up a 
greater amount of edish or after-grass. 
The meadows that are naturally well situated in the bottoms of 
valleys, or adjoining watercourses, are considered by far the most 
valuable, and are eagerly sought after ; hence, in taking a farm, 
the general question — " Are there any good meadows?" 
They produce an abundance of hay, which is usually carried off 
to the homestead, and adds materially to the general source of 
manure for other lands ; while, from their soil being deep, and 
commonly alluvial, (owing to the great deposit of sediment left by 
the water passing over them, or washed down upon them from the 
adjoining eminences,) they require no return in the shape of ma- 
nure. Care should be taken, however, not to allow the stream to 
pass over them at too late a period, if it can be possibly avoided ; 
to clear them of all superfluous aquatics, to check the springs 
frequently arising at the hill sides, to keep open a regular supply 
of grips or watercourses for the quick clearance of the water when 
required, and that the whole cleaning up, mowing, and pasturing 
be so adjusted, as to keep the meadows in a good and profitable 
state without the aid of manure. 
The upland meadows are various in their character, being se- 
lected or formed according to the varied localities : the soil of some 
is exceedingly good, while others are mown from an impression that 
they are but of little value, and therefore cannot be worse. The 
cultureof these meadows is necessarily more expensive than that of 
the valleys, as they require much attention and regular supplies of 
manure, according to their character. The better soils are kept 
up to a regular standard of production by the constant manurings 
or top-dressings they receive, which form at length a thin black 
stratum among the roots of the grass, and become certain in their 
annual supply of nutritive produce. The irregular surface of upland 
meadows is apt to contain springs, which require attention, while 
other fields of a lower level require careful draining throughout to 
