On  the  Farming  of  Somerset. 
675 
3 bushels  Dactylis  Glomerate  (very  good 
for  after-grass). 
3 bushels  Festuca  prateusis. 
3 „ Alopecurus. 
3 ,,  Holcus  Avenaceus. 
3 „ Lolium  Italicum. 
3 „ Festuca  Duriuscula. 
15  lbs.  Poa  Trivialis. 
42  „ Phleum  Prateusis. 
18  lbs.  Cynosurus  Cristatus. 
15  „ Poa  Nervata. 
15  „ Poa  Angustifolia. 
12  .,  Poa  Fertilis. 
10  „ Poa  Prateusis. 
10  „ Anthoxanthum  Odoratum. 
40  ,,  Trifolium  Medium. 
40  ,,  Trifolium  Pratense. 
9 „ Agrostis  Stolonifera. 
To  the  above  selected  seeds  are  added — 
50  lbs.  of  ribbed  grass, 
40  „ of  early  dwarf  rape, 
50  ,,  of  alsike  hybrid  clover, 
5 bushels  of  Italian  rye  grass, 
at  a further  cost  of  57.  The  total  cost  is  about  257.  for  12  acres. 
The  grasses  have  maintained  their  quality  for  many  years. 
“ The  formation  of  Catch- Meadoivs  in  Valleys  or  Mountain- sides, 
with  an  account  of  the  Improved  Value  thus  given  to  the  Land." 
If  this  subject  had  not  been  prescribed  for  the  present  Report 
it  might  have  been  passed  over,  as  nothing  can  be  added  to  the 
statement  in  a recent  Journal  on  Catch-meadows,  except  by  way 
of  illustration. 
Samples  of  each  kind  of  water-meadow  recently  made  on  the 
hill-side  and  on  the  flat  may  be  seen  in  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
spots  in  the  West  of  England,  on  the  ancient  way  from  Dulverton 
to  North  Molton.  They  are  close  to  Tarr  Steps,  a bridge  over  the 
Barle,  composed  of  some  twenty  stepping-stones  with  cross  stones 
of  8 or  10  feet  in  length,  laid  from  one  to  the  other  like  arches. 
One  of  the  meadows  in  question  is  made  on  the  steep  side  of  a 
hill ; the  other,  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  was  not  long  since  a 
rough  bramble-brake,  the  loss  of  which  might  be  regretted  by 
the  lovers  of  the  picturesque,  if  the  smooth  green  velvet  of  the 
meadow  had  not  its  own  charm.  When  I was  on  this  meadow  in 
January  last,  the  difference  between  the  herbage  on  the  higher 
part  above  the  level  of  the  sluice,  which  had  been  manured  with 
dung,  and  that  on  the  part  which  had  been  watered,  was  in 
favour  of  the  latter;  and  the  waters  of  the  Barle  are  by  no 
means  of  the  first  quality  for  irrigation. 
These  meadows  have  been  made  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Jekyll, 
who  describes  them  thus : — 
“ Hill-side  Catch- Meadows. — The  cost  is  but  trifling.  The  gutters  should 
be  cut  with  a spirit-level  about  3J  perches  apart,  4 inches  deep,  and 
18  inches  wide,  decreasing  in  width  (according  to  length)  to  not  less  than 
a foot.  A 2-feet  gutter  may  be  required  at  the  top,  and  also  some  inter- 
vening gutters  of  the  same  width  as  the  water  descends  the  Combe.  This 
can  be  effectually  done  for  1^(7.  per  perch  ; and  as  50  perches  will  be 
required  to  an  acre,  the  cost  will  reach  6s.  3 d.  per  acre.  My  valley 
meadow  of  7 acres  is  a flat  uneven  spot  of  land.  It  was  filled  with  large 
