144 Secent Ilxjperi^nces in laying down Land to Grass. 
\For Schedule of Questions, see page 126.] 
Mr. C. Randell — continued. 
fields were clean, and for the sort of land in good condition. They have 
been grazed mainly by sheep, on some of the best fields with cake, roots, and 
corn, on others without trough food ; but on all alike, after the first three years 
the sown grasses have mostly died out, and the land is of very little value. 
9. It has disappeared to a great extent with the other sown grasses, but 
I find that the closer it is grazed the longer it continues. It should never 
be allowed to go to seed. This, however, is at the expense of the other 
grasses and clover. 
10. Yes. 
11. Fifteen years with very liberal treatment; without such treatment, 
never. I refer only to laying down clay -land in a dry climate ; further 
north, begiuumg with Staffordshire, I know from experience how much 
easier it is to convert heavy land to permanent pasture, and how important 
it is to do so, seeing that dairy -farming pays so much better than corn- 
growing. 
12. When I entered upon this farm in 1839, two fields of about 28 acres 
had been uncultivated for several years, growing only couch and water- 
grass, which nothing would eat. Without loss of time I drained, fallowed, 
burned, and planted with vetches eaten by sheep with oil-cake ; the land 
again fallowed and planted with wheat, then seeds, grazed one year, then 
wheat again. For 40 years these fields have grown wheat every other year 
alternately with seeds or vetches, fed off by sheep with oil-cake ; artificial 
manure was applied when thought necessary, but no farmyard manure, the 
fields being on a steep hill and inaccessible to dung-carts. Now they have 
been down in seeds two and four years respectively, but water-grass had 
begun to spread over one, and in the other the grass seeds had disappeared, 
so I have taken advantage of the dry weather and fallowed both effectively. 
I know of several fields in this neighbourhood that have gone down to grass 
during the last ten years. Foul and poor, they are absolutely worthless, 
and only serve to check the growth of any young stock placed upon them. 
13. The additional quantity of land applied to market-gardens and 
labourers' allotments exceeds the area converted to pasture, so the popula- 
tion is not aftected. 
14. Yes. I have come to the conclusion, and am acting upon it, that 
instead of endeavouring to obtain permanent pasture upon clay-land in this 
climate, tliere would, at the present prices of wheat and wheat-straw, be a 
better return for the outlay upon it, if that crop were grown once in five or 
six years — that is, by leaving it in seeds three, or rather two and a half years. 
The low price of wheat is in some measure compensated by the high price 
of straw, which must be sold ; the cost of fallowing by steam-power is now 
very low, artificial manures are cheap, and the seeds are worth more to graze 
the first t wo and a half years than they would be for the next ten. 
The course would be this : 
1st year, Fallow, In a dry year, cultivating twice would suffice, 
cost 20s. per acre ; in less favourable seasons it might cost 40s. 
2nd year. Wheat, with nitrogenous manure ; cost not to exceed 35s. 
per acre. Straw to be sold, defraying cost of fallow and 
manure. 
3rd year. Seeds, mown ; aftermath grazed by lambs with oil-cako. 
4tb year, Seeds, grazed. 
Gtli year. Seeds, grazed till midsummer, then fallowed. 
In unfavourable seasons fur fallowing it miglit bo necessary to take ft 
crop of vetches fed olf by sheep with oil-cake between the fallow and the 
wheat. 1 must confess to a prejudice against mowing the seeds the (ir.st 
