Breaking up Grass Land. 
5]? 
weeks before leading on the land. It is lamentable to witness 
the waste occasioned very often by its foolish exposure in making 
compost heaps and the like. It cannot be kept too close till 
required, and on clay soils a liberal supply will be retained ; but 
on all light soils smaller and frequent dressings are preferable. 
Peat, Moor land, Bogs, Mosses, Heaths, 8yc. 
Peat. — These lands, possessing a surprisingly rich soil of great 
depth, are altogether unprofitable under pasture, because the 
best natural grasses do not readily grow upon them ; and, being 
under proper cultivation, the most productive of all soils, it can 
scarcely be necessary to remark that all should be converted into 
tillage. This must be by paring and burning, as before, being 
cautious lest it burn too deep. Sow rape for feed ; second, oats ; 
third, wheat — the wheat stubbles to be well clayed; then fourth, 
beans ; fifth, wheat. Second course : — Well fallowed for potatoes, 
being liberally dunged; second, wheat; third, beans; fourth, 
wheat, or alternately, instead of the bean crop; clover or grass 
seeds, followed by wheat: the seeds to be fed off: the clover 
mown for fodder. 
General 2'illage. — Draining, of course, must be the first im- 
provement, and both surface and hollow-draining are now prac- 
tised : the latter is effected in a very simple way, and with good 
effect. The "dead peat," commonly called "bear's muck," is 
so hard that when cut into shape, and laid across a well-formed 
narrow-bottom drain, it will soon swell by moisture so large as to 
form a good hollow drain below it. The dried "peat bats," or 
brick-shaped turf, used for fuel, will also do well. This sub- 
soil draining has the twofold advantage of consolidating the peat, 
and absorbing the superfluous moisture. Almost upon a par 
with draining stands the modern improvement of claying. It not 
only prevents a too rapid evaporation in summer, by giving 
solidity to the peat, but it also gives a tenacity to it ; in fact the 
admixture is such as to form a new soil, composed of clay and 
vegetable matter, of surpassing value, producing every kind of 
grain, of great weight and excellent quality. 
The usual practice is to commence in the autumn, and con- 
tinue during winter, if possible, to dig the trenches along the 
whole length of the field. They should be about 4 feet wide, 
and 8 or 10 yards apart. Sufficient clay must be thrown out, so 
as to cover the whole surface about two inches in depth, when 
reduced and spread minutely; it is however more generally left 
in half-spit lumps to the action of the frosts or atmosphere. 
In fallowing, the roller is in constant use, as also drags and 
harrows, ploughing not being so needed. It is no uncommon 
