The Management of Grass l^and. 
7 
The sheep are then found to enjoy themselves, and g:et exceed- 
ingly forward in condition, and in many instances they are sold fat 
at the end of the season, or removed to the turnip lands. It is the 
custom to cleanup the pastures about Christmas. It rarely occurs 
that any artificial aid is given to those soils beyond the sheep 
manure, which upon some soils is considerable, and certainly adds 
much to the improvement of the herbage. Upon the more shal- 
low soils a dressing of soil and lime is given by the best managers, 
when cleaned up for a pasture — the weeds being removed as they 
occur during the summer months. 
From the peculiar nature of these soils they are both easy and 
cheap in their management, the principal point being that a proper 
amount of herbage should accumulate in the sprmg before the 
full slock is placed upon them, as these soils are more dependent 
upon seasons than any other class. 
The pastures which rest upon cold or moderate subsoils are 
considered productive summer pastures for sheep and cattle, a 
preference being given to such as are found upon healthy clay 
bottoms. Their management is widely different from that of the 
dry soils, but when combined in one occupation they assist each 
other and become more profitable. 
From the cool temperature of these soils they are rather back- 
ward in throwing up their spring- shoots ; but when well started 
they soon form a thick, green, nutritive herbage, especially on the 
clay subsoils when free from surplus water, but in every case 
where water exists the pastures are both thin and backward — in 
fact, of little value. Hence the importance of draining. From 
the thickness of herbage produced by the best of these soils, little 
fear is felt as to their being overstocked with sheep at the com- 
mencement of the season ; they also require heavily stocking with 
cattle for a time to keep the seed-shoots down, in order that the 
pasture may wear an even herbage, the all-important point in the 
culture of these pastures. As the season advances, the sheep 
(being feeding- stock) are thinned out from time to time for market, 
by which means the pastures are regulated to the greatest nicety. 
'I'he cattle are drafted to the ox-lands as requn-ed. 
Some of the more moderate soils are grazed with store-stock, 
according to their produce. The best pastures are heavily stocked 
with sheep throughout the winter, and to a late period in the 
spring. In many districts when depastured with feeding sheep, 
the animals are allowed a few beans, a plan by which they are 
certain to be ready for market at an early period. This practice 
I consider a good one. 
In the best districts the good pastures are kept clean through- 
out the season, care being taken to watch the outfalls and master- 
drains, as well as to place in short drains at any part of the field 
