On Breaking up Grass Lands. 
189 
by the tough nature of the under-inxi, which atmospheric in- 
fluences alone during the first year's crop fail to disintegrate. If 
the plants be not blown out of ihe ground altogether in the spring 
by winds, and a sufficient number escape the ravages of insects 
and the wireworm, yet without consolidation by the treading of 
the sheep while eating off the previous green crop, a large quan- 
tity of straw is produced, which from its weight in a green state, 
and from the spongy texture of the soil, is very often laid, and 
the yield of corn verv far short of the expectation of the larmer. 
But this state of things scarcely ever follows the eating off of the 
green crop, therefore we may at once decide that it would always 
be the best plan, first, to take green crops, which of course will 
vary with the nature of the soil ; turnips on light lands, swedes on 
a stronger soil, and rape on peaty soils. Should circumstances 
render it desirable to break up lands in autumn, August would 
be a suitable time before harvest commenced. \\ hite mustard 
should be drilled rather thick, which in about a month will be 
ready for the sheep. It should be eaten off on the land, which 
will be effected in good time for wheat. The treading of the 
sheep will break down the sods, and the land will plough up in a 
much mellower yet firmer state than it would have done without 
the green crop. Should any one venture to break up land, and 
to sow wheat without the intervention of a green crop, probably 
folding the sheep on the wheat, in the following spring, will be a 
means of saving the crop. This I have repeatedly seen done, 
and in some instances with much advantage. 
It has been a custom for many years, on breaking up sward 
land, to commence the operation with paring and burning. This 
practice scarcely requires further experiment to establish it as an 
essential preliminary. The burning kills insects that would other- 
wise devour the turnips and the succeeding wheat, it destroys 
the roots and seeds of weeds, and reduces to ashes the turf that 
would cover the land in the shape of loose sods, and render it too 
hollow for wheat after the green crop. Burning produces too 
a highly fertilizing manure, composed of a mixture of ashes, 
burnt soil, and charred vegetable matter ; impregnated w ith 
alkahne salts, which are known to be powerful promoters of vege- 
tation. Generallv speaking, land which is selected to be broken 
up is covered with a large quantity of coarse grass, furze, briars, 
blackthorns, straggling heath plants, rest-harrow, sedge, rushes, 
and many other coarse and woody-stemmed plants, which could 
not be made to decompose with sufficient rapiditv without 
burning. By burning, and especiallv stifle- burning, the roots, 
fibres, and stems of plants become charred and are deprived of 
that tenacity which binds the sods together in matted masses. 
The modes proposed for tilling each kind of land after being 
