8 
The Maiiafjement of Grass Land. 
where they may be required to complete the general drainage. 
By this kind of attention the annual outlay is kept at a moderate 
rale, and the pastures are gradually improved. By the constant 
close or sheep feeding of these pastures, a great deposit of valuable 
manure is made upon them ; the surface-soil becomes immensely 
improved, not only by the deposit, but by means of the working 
of the various insects in search of food, by whose aid the manure 
is let down, and the surface-soil thrown up ; the deposit being 
thus mixed and the vegetable matter decomposed. It is quite 
certain that a more suitable dressing or stimulating food could not 
be prepared for these grasses ; and as practice daily shows the 
importance of close feeding these pastures, I do not apprehend 
that the practice I have detailed can be improved, especially upon 
the deep even class of soils. In situations, however, where veins 
of thin or more moderate soils intervene, it is desirable to give 
such portions a thin dressing of manure or compost. 
It is especially worthy of remark that the best thick-bottomed 
sheep pastures are found in the marshy districts, such as have at 
some former period been rescued from the sea, or are found within 
reach of the salt-water spray, upon which sheep are found to be 
exceedingly healthy ; a fact indicating the importance of salt, both 
as a fertilizer for pasture-lands and a promoter of health as regards 
cattle and sheep. 
The downs and inferior pastures form two distinct subjects. 
The downs include the dry and many hilly pastures. The infe- 
rior pastures may be found in every locality, and they vary in their 
character even from field to field. 
The downs or sheep-walks in the South and West of England 
are thin of soil, and usually rest upon an inert subsoil ; conse- 
quently they are diflficult to improve by profitable means, and are 
allowed to remain in their natural state. Large tracts of these 
lands are held with arable farms as sheep-walks; they are treated 
adversely, being depastured with sheep during the day ; the ani- 
mals collect the mixed produce, and are conveyed to the fold at 
night, there to deposit the produce of the heath, for the improve- 
ment of those soils that have been taken in for the purpose of 
growing corn, and the general class of downs, left to chance, pro- 
ducing more or less, according to the moisture of the season. 
Some portions of the better or deeper soils have been ploughed up 
and renewed with the modern grasses. But this process is not 
found to answer, unless the soil be materially assisted or changed 
in character, as, when unimproved by stimulants during the transfer, 
they gradually return to their original state, and the indigenous 
grasses as soon preponderate. 
The natural produce of the downs is of small bulk, but it is 
found both wholesome and palatable to sheep. 
