Management of Gi'ass Land. 
173 
soil. Soluble matters make their way more slowly down, and 
plants extend their roots with greater difficulty. It is, there- 
fore, a great object to put on iarmyard manure, compost, and 
even niineral applications, soon after the grass is eaten bare in 
autumn, so as to have the full benefit of the winter rains. The 
roots of grass are always growing when the thermometer is 
above freezing-point ; and if by means of tillage applied in early 
winter the roots of the grass strengthen and extend themselves 
before the growing season arrives, a good foundation is laid 
for the increased development above ground which is sure to 
follow. If, on the other hand, the application of tillage be 
delayed till March or April, and a droughty spring follow, the 
application loses great part of its effect for that season. 
When grass on clay is very unproductive, it sometimes becomes 
a question whether it would be better to plough it out and relay it. 
In such a case much ought to depend on whether the form of the 
land can be much improved by taking it out, whether high 
ridges require levelling, awkward watercourses filling up, old 
banks removing, &c. This is landlord's work, and requires 
both time and money to do it well. Those who set about it 
deliberately, knowing the difficulty of restoring the fertility of 
the old ridges after ploughing down, and prepared to go on 
paying until the object is accomplished, will ultimately reap 
their reward ; but tenant-farmers or landlords who do not mean to 
do it thoroughly would be wise to confine themselves to making 
the best of the old turf. If properly drained, it will yield an 
immediate return for all tillage bestowed upon it; and, on the 
whole, I incline to the opinion that grass on clay, being let low 
will generally pay an improving farmer better than any other 
kind of pasture land. 
The third kind of inferior pasture mentioned above is that on 
black peaty soils. Where the depth of peat is considerable, or 
where it lies on white or yellow sand, it is very unpromising ; 
but, even in these cases, I have seen instances where nitrate of 
soda or soot had a striking effect, and made the cattle eat the 
rough herbage greedily. The varieties of peaty soils are so 
numerous, and the results of applying tillage differ so widely, 
that it is generally advisable to try it experimentally in the 
first instance, putting a heavy dressing of the tillage intended 
to be used , on a very small portion of land. Where the peat 
lies upon clay it can always be made good land if the situation 
is such as to admit of efficient drainage. Should the thickness 
of peat be inconsiderable, so that the roots of the grass can 
read) the clay, a dressing of the tillage already mentioned will 
almost always succeed in making black land very useful for 
rearing young stock, with which it seems to agree remarkably 
