188 
On Breaking up Grass Lands. 
slieep in folds, and the land immediately ploughed, dragged, harrowed, and tlien 
turnips are to he drilled with the remaining ashes. Of course, between the time 
of sowing the mustard on the lightest part, and its being eaten oft' with the sheep, 
the stronger portion will he cultivated and drilled wilh swedes. Both the turnips 
and swedes will be eaten oft' with siieep in folds ; the turnips first, and the swedes 
afterwards, and sown with wheat, unless circumstances render it desirable to reserve 
them until nearer spring, in whicli case the land will be sown with barley ; but 
the former plan of sowing wheat is most usually practised. This method has 
been adopted by him on other lands before, and he has always had abundance of 
green crops and turnips, and plenty of good corn afterwards. 
Case 8. 
Another farmer 'very close to me, and whose operations I have watched with con- 
siderable interest, in the spring of 1844 broke up about 7 acres of land, situated 
on the forest-marble clay, with a covering of darkened soil 8 or 9 inches deep. 
After paring and burning, part of the ashes was removed to other parts of the farm, 
and drilled with turnips. This piece produced a large quantity of ashes, and the 
portion which was left behind formed a thickish covering for the land. It was 
ristbalk-plougiied, witli a thin furrow, and left for a month exposed to the influence 
of the atmosphere. It was then dragged across and harrowed to pieces, and in 
June ploughed with a clean furrow and sown with turnips, and afterwards rolled 
down. The turnips were an excellent crop, certainly more than 25 tons to the 
acre, which were nearly all eaten oft' on the land in September and November, 
a few being taken home and consumed in the stalls. The land was afterwards 
sown with wheat, and there is a very excellent prospect of a crop. The plant 
looks exceedingly healthy. 
Case 9. 
Although the last party alluded to succeeded to his "heart's content," (he following 
is a more signal instance of that success which, with favourable seasons and oppor- 
tunity, reward the activity and )]erseverance of intelligent men. This farmer has 
in the years 1811 and 1843 liroken tip more than 40 acres of very ])Oor pasture- 
land, situated on the forest-marble clay, some of very tenacious character, with a 
depth of 6 or 7 inches of soil on the top. Tliese lands were first well drained at 
the expense of the landowner. Tlie cost was nearly 4/. 4«. an acre, exclusive of 
hauling, which was performed by the tenant, who also superintended the woikmen. 
He pared and burned and cropped the greater purtion of it, after the manner of the 
last party referred to, and succeeded fully as well, if not better. A portion of this 
land which here more particularly claims our notice, was managed otherwise, 
with complete success. Instead of letting it remain idle for a month, exposed 
to the atmosphere, he determined on sowing it, as soon as the sods were burnt, with 
white mustaid. This was done immediately, drilling it thick, IG lbs. to tlie 
acre, with a portion of the ashes, leaving a portion for the intended succeeding 
crop, half of tlie whole quantity, which was large, having been hauled away to 
other lands. The mustard succeeded wonderfully. In less than five weeks it was 
ready for the shee]) to eat oft'. Tlie land was immediately ploughed up, dragged, 
and turnips drilled wilh ashes. The turnips were an excellent crop ; they were, 
in their turn, eaten oft' with shecj) in September and November; the land was 
then ploughed and sown with wheat, which, as may be supposed, is very pro- 
mising. 
I could select a multitude of instances of failure and of suc- 
cess, but it would be useless to multiply cases. It will be evi- 
dent that the safest plan is always to let the first crop be a green 
crop, eaten off with sheep, by which the soil becomes pulverized 
and consolidated, otherwise it will scarcely bear a profitable 
crop of corn. When a corn crop is taken first, there is great 
danger of the crop failing in consequence of hollowness produced 
