Laying down Land to Grass. 
435 
quainted with them. It keeps them in a good humour, and 
although they don't literally " latujh and grow fat," they cer- 
tainly do extract from their food the more visible and tangible 
results in proportion to the quietness and happiness of their 
lives. 
XXIII. — Laying down Land to Grass. By James HOWARD, 
of Clapham Park, Bedfordshire. 
The object of this paper is not to discuss the policy of turning 
arable land into pasture, but simply to describe my own prac- 
tice. For two or three generations past the ploughing up of old 
grass-land has, to a greater or less extent, prevailed in this and 
the surrounding counties : the unprofitableness of corn-growing 
during the past few years has not only brought this custom to 
an end, but has led to an opposite course. The change which 
has come over the prospects of agriculture has, moreover, caused 
landowners to regret the conversion of their pastures into tillage, 
and many are now anxiously inquiring as to the best methods 
of restoring their land to grass. 
Eighteen jears ago I purchased the Clapham Park Estate of 
the Earl of Ashburnham, and at once commenced laying down 
portions in pasture — a practice which I have, for residential 
and other reasons, continued up to the present time. During 
this period upwards of 200 acres of arable land have been laid 
down to grass. 
The methods of laying down have been various. Before I 
proceed to describe them, I would remark that in forming an 
opinion upon any farm practice it is imperative that the kind 
of soil and other leading facts should be known. I would there- 
fore state that the whole of my land is on the Oxford-clay and 
Boulder-clay formations ; it has all been thoroughly drained, 
and was in anything but a high state of cultivation when it 
came into my hands. The average rainfall is 22 inches. 
My first experience in laying down land to grass was upon 
a small farm belonging to a friend, and which I took on a long 
lease twenty-two years ago. On this farm I laid down a 12-acre 
field, following the ordinary practice of sowing the seeds with a 
corn-crop. My experience corresponded with that of most others 
who have pursued the same course ; the grasses began to fail 
about the third or fourth year, although manure was from time 
to time applied, and no sheep depastured upon the field ; several 
years elapsed before much progress was made towards the 
establishment of a turf. To the best of my remembrance it 
was not until about the tenth year that the grasses were well 
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