14"2 tteceni Experiences in laying doicn Land io Grass. 
l_For Schedule of Questions, seepage 126.] 
Mr. Mark J. Stewart, M.P. — continued. 
1-3. This has not occurred in either of my districts, but farmers are keep- 
ing- their laud doTvn in grass four and, five years instead of two aiid three, 
and reducing cultivation. Thus there is a redu&tion of population. 
14. If good natural grasses, such as we ar« now trying to cultivate, 
grow, we could then keep our laud down longer ; but in a dairy country the 
farmer believes — rightly, I think — that young grasses produce milk in gi-eater 
abundance. .... 
Mr. William Stratton, Kingstmi BeverUl, Warminster, 
. Wilts. . : 
1. "\''arious kinds of soil, on chalk' subsoil. Some tenacious calcareous 
clay, and other light black soil, with modificatioris of these extremes. 
2. Drainage was in no case necessary, though the heavy soils are retentive 
of moisture. 
3. Rainfall is heavy, ranging between 30 and 40 inches. Elevation 
about GOO feet above sea level. 
4 and 5. I have tried all sorts of seeds, but prefer a mixture of my own, 
and do not care to sow expensive seeds. Cocksfoot, 4 lbs. ; timothy, 4 lbs. ; 
perennial ryegrass, 12 lbs. ; Dutch clover, 4 lbs. ; cowgrass, 6 lbs, 
G. Sown in a corn crop. 
7. Spring- sovriug. 
8. Mow tirst year, then feed with ^attle^ or sheep ; should dress with 
farmyard dung when available. 
9. liyegrass does not disappear ; but unless manured with nitrogen it 
becomes weak and small. 
10. No; the Dutch clover asserts itself about the month of August. 
11. This depends on circumstances; sometimes when conditions are 
favourable the pasture is good from tfie first. On heavy calcareous clay 
land the process is very tedious. 
12. I have pastures which were left. after sainfoin, nothing else having 
been sown. Sainfoin has disappeared many years, but a fair pasture now 
exists. I know some fine grass land which started as a foul wheat-stubble 
some thirty years ago. 
13. Undoubtedly. Labourers have migrated into districts where better 
wages are paid. It has had the eifect of forcing them to better their position. 
1 4. Yes, I approve such a practice in the case of moderately good land. 
15. Do not go to any great expense in the matter of your seeds, and 
make your own mixtiure. Manure by feeding stock with decorticated cotton- 
cake. 
Mr. William Daldy, Congldon, Redditch. 
1 . A heavy loam, with marl subsoil. 
2. The land was all Ciovcrnment-drained, 4 feet deep, before the fieeda^ 
were sown. 
3. The climate is humid. 
4. In two or three instances a seedsman's mixture .of permanent seeds 
was sown ; but generally Ave have used Webb & Sons' four years' mixtures, 
which costs about 20s. per acre, and, in my opinion, will form as good a 
paslure and quite as quiclily as permanent seeds. 
5. The sei'ds contained perennial grasses, but very little, if any, Italian. 
G. Sown with a thin crop of corn. 
7. Spring, decidedly. 
