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132 Recent 'Experiences in laying down Land to Grassi 
[For Schedule of Questions, seepage 126.] 
Mr. Charles Howard — continued. 
9. I do not tliink it has disappeared, for the simple reason it each year 
sows itself. 
10. I think the clover plant would diminish if fed constantly with 
sheep ; it is a desirable practice, which I have adopted, to re-sow a portion 
each year with some mixed clover seeds. If fed with young cattle and not 
overstocked with sheep, the various grasses and seeds will sow themselves. 
11. Very much depends on the soil and treatment, but as a rule from 
eight to ten years. 
12. No ; but I have heard some old farming friends say that some of the 
best grazing land they knew was what is called in this neighboiu'hood 
" tumble-down." 
13. There is not enough laid down in this neighbourhood to cause any 
noticeable reduction in the population. 
14. I think it would be better on very poor clay laud to let it remain 
down to grass for three or more years, if wheat realised more money ; but 
the working expenses of such land would beat any one, with wheat at 28*. to 
30s. per quarter. 
Mr. A. CuRTEis Neve, Holt Pad-, Rolvenden, Kent. 
1. More or less heavy Wealden clay ; an outcrop of Hastings sand in 
parts. 
2. Most necessary. The land was thoroughly drained 3 feet deep some 
few years before being laid down. A few furrow surface drains were made 
on the stifFest portions. 
3. Average rainfall for twenty years, 29'75 inches. 
4. 
Cocksfoot , 
Catstail . 
Meadow fescue . 
Hard fescue 
Crested dogstail 
lbs. per acre 
. 6 
. 6 
. 3 
. 1 
. 1 
lbs. per acre 
Ryegrass . . G to 6^ 
Cowgrass . . 3 
Wild white clover 3 
Alsike clover . 2 
English red clover 2 
The above mixture is not a seedsman's mixture for permanent pasture, but 
was a selection of my own. 
5. The grass seeds sown included ryegrass in the proportion of G lbs. to 
23 lbs. grasses, or in the proportion of G lbs. to 33 lbs. clovers and grasses. 
G, The soil not being suitable for barley, I prefer the practice of sowing 
with wheat or oats, and I have also succeeded with beans. I find the corn crop 
"pays," and it materially protects the young seeds from frosts and drought. 
Great care is taken to get sufficiently fine tilth, even if the corn crop is par- 
tially harrowed up. 
7. Early spring I consider the best time, so as to escape the spring frosts, 
and early enough to get the plant well established before the hot dry summer 
commences. 
8. The young seeds are well rolled in the spring of the next year, no 
stock having as yet been put on ; it then had a small dressing of lish guano 
and was laid in for hay. The pastures are generally stocked with sheep after 
having been mown, till October, removing them when wet. In the second 
spring the pasture is again well rolled, and a dressing of 1 cwt. of nitrate 
of soda and 2 cwt. of superpliosphato has been found very beneficial. Ewes 
and lambs having grains and corn are allowed on during April, after which 
it is laid in for a second year's hay. When the plant is well established in 
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