Laying doion Land to Grass. 
439 
putting of them into practice. The exigencies of a farm, full of 
live stock, and fitful seasons upsetting previously formed plans, 
are apt to override all preconceived notions. If possible, 1 
would avoid putting sheep upon new pastures until the grasses 
are thoroughly well established. The Persians say, " The sheep 
has a foot of gold, and turns to gold whatever it treads upon," 
The proverb doubtless contains much truth, but it does not hold 
in the case of new pastures ; not that the feet of the sheep are 
injurious, but their teeth are formidable enemies to young 
grasses. If compelled to stock with sheep, they should be 
folded, the folds of ample size, and moved daily, especially in 
showery weather ; in very wet weather the sheep should be 
taken off. Roots or other artificial food should of course be 
given. 
If sheep are simply depastured, they wander over the field 
and pick out and gnaw down the finer grasses, to the injury or 
destruction of the pasture ; if confined in a fold, the same 
injurious results do not appear to follow, at all events not to the 
same extent. For new pastures, young horned-stock are best, 
especially for clay soils. Until a turf is formed, cows or bullocks 
are too heavy, and horses especially are to be interdicted, not 
only on account of their weight, but because they bite so close to 
the ground ; indeed they bite into it when the herbage is sweet. 
Until the grasses get well established it is desirable, if the exi- 
gencies of the farm admit, to avoid mowing. If young pastures 
are mown, a light coat of dung should be applied after the crop 
is removed, or as soon as convenient. 
In respect of manuring, a very successful and experienced 
farmer expressed an opinion to me many years ago that grass- 
land should be manured little and often, that heavy dressings 
promote the growth of coarse, rank grass : observation has led 
me to the conclusion that the dictum is sound. 
The spreading of farmyard-manure upon grass-land is too 
generally carelessly and imperfectly performed. To ensure its 
being evenly and uniformly spread over the surface I have, for 
some years past, used the haymaking-machine. When set in 
the forward action, a strong haymaker shakes out and scatters 
the dung most thoroughly : for this work a windy day should be 
avoided. 
I have not found bone-manure, either in the form of super- 
phosphate or ground bones, have any marked effect upon either 
old or new pasture. As I had a bone-mill on the farm, and 
made my own superphosphate, there could be no question as to 
purity. Whether the absence of effect arises from the fact that 
in boulder-clay soils are found large quantities of small pieces 
of chalk and limestone, continually undergoing decomposition, 
