ing to the care it has been got up with? How infinitely better then is this plan, compared to what we hope some day to see entirely exploded, viz., of accepting from the old dealer his idea of the value, and the giving of the same price in localities, let them be ill or well washed. In saying this, let me not be misunderstood by a highly intelligent and gentlemanly class of dealers, who have long occupied the wool field-that I wish to take the butter off their bread, and perhaps their bread as well. I wish even to show them that sales would decidedly be to their advantage, and why. Look at the enormous expense they are put to, in travelling the country; whereas at sales they would get what they required, with a tithe of the trouble and no expense; they would thereby be better remunerated by receiving a commission for so buying. Have we less intelligence than our American and Australian neighbours, who have long seen the advantage of sales? Certainly not! Still we are only waking up to appreciate what they have long enjoyed and

benefited by in purse. Sales are now springing up in all quarters; but unless one general central market be adopted, it is easy to predict the issue; and another fallacy is the frequency of the sales. To suit all, more particularly the buyers from distant parts, set periods, such as the London practice, should be adopted, and we will ever endeavour to advance with the times in lending our aid to improve every method that will tell to the benefit of the grower. In conclusion, allow me to thank you for this opportunity of expressing my opinions, and as I was an aspirant to the enviable position of an agriculturist under the able tuition of Mr. Steedman of Boghall, I am proud of the opportunity of meeting so many intelligent cultivators of the soil.

The following members also took part in the discussion-Mr. Douglas, Athelstaneford; Mr. R. Scot Skirving, Campton; Mr. Durie, Standingstane, &c. The discussion ultimately was adjourned till next meeting, so that Mr. Harper's views on the subject might be obtained.

In laying down land to permanent pasture, the first point to be attended to is its thorough and efficient drainage; for without this all-important preliminary, no matter how the other operations are conducted, disappointment will finally ensue. We need not enter into any lengthened account of the manner in which draining is performed, for the details are generally well known; but this much we must say the drains ought not to be less than four feet deep, and, as a general rule, not more than 21 feet apart. We are aware that there are many persons who do not consider it necessary to drain pasture land, or what is intended to become such, as closely as they would do land intended to be under regular cropping; but we consider this to be mistaken policy. Unless the land is naturally dry, it must be rendered so artificially; for if this is not done, coarse grasses will displace those finer descriptions which may be sown, and coarse grasses are always innutritious. Taking it for granted that the land intended to be laid down in permanent grasses has previously been under a lengthened course of rather severe cropping, combined with, perhaps, careless general management, we would beg to detail the steps which we have in many instances of this kind adopted, for the purpose of preparing and finally laying down the land to grass.

After draining, and when the surface soil is shallow and the subsoil retentive, it is of the utmost consequence to deepen it by subsoiling. We have had experience of land being laid down to grass both with and without subsoiling; and in every instance where it was omitted, if the subsoil was of a retentive character, we have invariably been led to attach a greater amount of importance to this operation. We have deepened land by

labour; and although in the latter case the expense was considerable, still we found it remunerative. Generally speaking, however, the subsoil plough will be found sufficient to answer the purpose. Subsoiling must in no case whatever be put in the room of or used as a substitute for draining, as it has been done by some persons. This would only lead to disappointment, and very likely to undervaluing what is in reality a most important operation when properly performed, and in its proper time and place.

The eradication of weeds is indispensably neces sary, and it is impossible to be too careful and minute in conducting this preliminary operation. When the land is very foul it may be necessary to resort to a bare fallow, particularly when the grass seeds are to be sown in autumn. At the same time, even very foul land may be cleaned during the preparatory operations for a root crop, and in the summer culture of the same. By this, we mean turnips or mangel wurzel, drilled or (as it is denominated in many parts of England) ridged, from twenty-seven to thirty inches apart; any closer intervals will not permit the horse-hoe and grubber to act efficiently. When a root crop is grown, the grass seeds cannot be sown until the following spring. In the case of potatoes, indeed, the crop may be removed in time to permit sowing in autumn; but unless the land is already tolerably free from weeds, potatoes do not answer well as a preparatory crop, so far as the eradication of the weeds is concerned, because the potato must be planted at so early a period in spring as to prevent When the a thorough cleaning of foul land. autumn cleaning of stubbles can be carried properly into effect, preparatory to growing a crop of potatoes, then such a crop will be found very favourable indeed to the growth of sown grasses. In whatever mode the eradication of weeds is

performed, whether by bare fallowing, or in the cultivation of root, or, as they may be more correctly designated, fallow crops, the operation must be done effectually, and not hurried or slurred over. The couch-grass rake, which is used in many parts of England, will be found a useful auxiliary in the earlier stages of the business, but it ought not to depend altogether on this, but must be followed by careful hand-picking. Joints of couch-grass, small dock roots, and various other weeds, will escape the rake, and these can only be effectually removed by the hand. Hand picking, no doubt, adds to the expense; but it is nevertheless absolutely necessary, if it is desirable to lay the land down in a proper manner.

It is of no use attempting to lay down land to permanent grass if it is in poor condition, or what is called out of heart. When potatoes are the preceding crop, and autumn cleaning can be carried into effect, the manuring ought to take place before the land is rough-ploughed previous to winter. This manuring ought to consist of not less than 25 to 30 tons of farm-yard dung, and it is not necessary that the manure be fully decomposed. By the spring it will become incorporated with the soil, and there is a greater probability of a sound crop of potatoes than would be the case if the application of the manure was deferred until the planting season. In the spring, and immediately previous to planting, when the manure was ploughed down in autumn, is the proper time to apply lime. The quantity necessary depends on the nature of the soil; but in the case of loams of a medium character, that is, neither a heavy clay, nor a light, moory, or sandy soil, we have been in the habit of using from 120 to 150 bushels of lime per statute acre as it comes from the kiln. If it is not convenient to apply it in spring, the operation may be deferred until the removal of the crop. In this case we would sow eight to ten bushels per statute acre of half-inch bones broadcast, previous to planting the potatoes. In all cases which have come under our observation, we have seen that bones are almost an indispensable necessary when laying down land to permanent grass. We may be permitted to mention one case in particular as an illustration. In laying down a field of rather stiff clay loam, which had been previously heavily limed, to a part of the field bone-dust was applied, whilst the remaining portion was laid down after farmyard manure. The boned portion was in the middle of the field. Ten years afterwards the boned land could be plainly distinguished from the rest of the field, even at a considerable distance; the turf was closer and greener, and always closely eaten by whatever stock was grazed in the field, but especially by sheep.

After the potatoes are removed, say early in September, the land must be harrowed, and all weeds carefully removed. After this apply the lime, or bones, if not done in spring, and then set the two-horse grubber to work, stirring up the soil thoroughly, both across the field and lengthways. Taking for granted that the land is either naturally or artificially dry, it will be best to lay it down to grass in a level state, that is, without furrows; and the action of the grubber ought to be quite suf

ficient to make an excellent seed bed. The seeds are then sown and the land harrowed, but not rolled, unless in the case of very dry, sandy, or sharp land. We shall afterwards refer to the kinds and quantities of seeds to be used. When turnips or mangel are the crops which precede grass, the liming ought to be done immediately after the removal of the previous grain crop, before the land receives the winter furrow, so that it may be thoroughly incorporated in the soil before the application of manure for the root crop. The farm-yard manure, not less than 20 tons per acre, in combination with bones, will be applied, of course, immediately before sowing the turnip seed. As turnips do not perfect their growth until it is too late to sow grass seeds, and very likely being either wholly or in part consumed by sheep (if so, so much the better), the sowing of the grass seeds must be deferred till spring. In this case, as soon as the turnips are removed or consumed, the land must be ploughed in very broad ridges or lands, say fifty or sixty feet wide (still taking for granted that the land is dry), and even wider, if convenient. In this state it will lie until spring, when, if the crop has been entirely removed, and not consumed either altogether or partly by sheep, after the land has been thoroughly operated upon by the grubber, 2 cwt. per acre of Peruvian guano may be harrowed in, the grass seeds sown, harrowed, and rolled.

If the land is bare fallowed, preparatory to being laid down to permanent grass, we would strongly urge the necessity of being most particular in conducting the various operations of ploughing, har rowing, and weed picking, because we have not unfrequently seen bare fallows which could only be called fallows by courtesy. The land certainly was not in crop; neither was it, properly speaking, in grass; but it was bearing a luxuriant crop of couch and other weeds; and instead of attempting to remove these, their growth was merely retarded for the time by an occasional ploughing. We have, indeed, known in more than one case a crop of couch-grass hay to be taken off these so-called fallows. "THOROUGH" must be the motto, whether it relates to draining, manuring, working of the land, or eradicating every vestige of the weeds by which it is infested.

The kinds and quantities of grass seeds to he sown are regulated by the nature of the soil. On soils of medium quality, the following mixture will be found advantageous :

Perennial rye-grass, 10 lbs.; Italian rye-grass, 4 lbs.; Timothy, 1 lbs.; Cocksfoot, 5 lbs.; Meadow Foxtail, 24 lbs.; Rough-stalked meadow grass, 2 lbs.; Hard fescue grass, 24 lbs.; Meadow fescue grass, 3 lbs.; Perennial red clover, 6 lbs.; White or Dutch clover, 4 lbs.; Alsike clover, 2 lbs., per statute acre.

In dry lands intended chiefly for sheep pasture omit the timothy and the rough-stalked meadow grass, and substitute 3 lbs. of sheep's fescue and 2 lbs. of common parsley, both of which are greedily eaten by sheep. In heavy or damp soils double the quantity of timothy as given in the above mixture; and whilst allowing only one-half of the hard fescue grass, add the quantity deducted from this,

or 1 lbs., to the rough-stalked meadow grass. Half-a-pound to one pound per acre of sweetscented vernal grass may be added or not, in all soils, as pleasure dictates. It is not a valuable pasture grass; but, from the sweet smell it imparts to the hay with which it is mixed, it is to a certain extent useful on this account.

In the great majority of cases grass seeds are sown in spring along with a cereal crop, which is allowed to ripen its seeds; but when permanent grass is the object, the best plan is to sow them alone; that is, any of the cereals sown along with them, for the purpose of shelter, should not be allowed to ripen. When grass seeds are sown in autumn, a bushel of rye per statute acre should be sown at same time; and when the sowing takes place in spring, a similar quantity of any of the cereals will answer the purpose. Rape is an excellent seed to sow along with grass seeds, whether they are autumn or spring sown. From 3 to 4 lbs. an acre, sown broadcast, may be used; it shelters the young plants, and affords a most valuable amount of forage for sheep when pastured on the young grasses.

When grass seeds are sown in autumn, they will in ordinary cases have advanced sufficiently by April to admit of being lightly stocked with sheep. We are not partial to the system adopted by some, in such cases, of stocking so heavily as to eat down the young grasses to the root; for we consider that by doing so many of them are entirely destroyed. It is, no doubt, a great temptation to a man who is, perhaps, short enough otherwise of grass for his ewes and lambs, when he has a field of young grasses forward; but it is better to remove the sheep for a week or ten days at a time, after being grazed, so as to allow the young grass to shoot out afresh. In like manner, spring-sown grasses must be stocked as soon as they are sufficiently advanced to afford a full bite. Cattle must not be allowed to graze on the newly sown lands. In many districts the land is full of small stones, and all which would interfere with the scythe ought to be removed at any early period when most convenient. Some do this as soon as the grass seeds are sown; others defer it until after they have perhaps been eaten down for the first time. In either case, broad-wheeled carts ought to be used to carry away the stones, so as to prevent the formation of ruts, as will be the case when narrow wheels are employed. The frequent use of the roller is highly advantageous in smoothing and consolidating the surface.

Although the production of hay should be an object which it was desirable to attain, the grass ought not to be mown the first year, but entirely consumed by sheep. The second year's grass may be mown, but as soon as the hay is removed, let a wet day be selected to top-dress the field with 1 cwt. of Peruvian guano and 1 cwt. nitrate of soda per statute acre, after which, when the grasses are sufficiently grown, stock again with sheep. The aftermath ought on no account to be mown, neither should a hay crop be taken two years in succession. In the after-management of the land, should a crop of hay be taken, top-dressing immediately afterwards either with guano and nitrate of

soda, or with farm-yard manure in winter, must not be omitted. A large extent of naturally excellent grass land has been ruined by a two frequent repetition of a hay crop, accompanied by a neglect of top-dressing.

2. THE RENOVATION OF INFERIOR AND WORNOUT PASTURES.

In attempting the improvement of inferior pastures, drainage must form the preliminary operation in this as in the previous case. We know many instances where thorough draining alone has acted like magic in effecting a vast improvement of inferior pasture lands, where the grass has been changed through the influence of the drainage from being of the coarsest kind, and greatly disliked by stock, to sweet, fattening pastures, from which it was almost impossible to keep out either cattle or sheep if an open gate or a hole in a hedge could be found by them. In a case to which we would particularly allude, the soil was a very tenacious clay, and had been tile-drained at one time about two feet deep, the drains running across the slope. The grass, however, was never good; but when this land was drained four feet deep, the drains running up and down the slope, and only seven yards apart, in the first year afterwards a great change for the better was manifest, and each succeeding season added to the value of the pastures. To expect to improve inferior pastures which require draining without that operation being carried into effect, is simply to expect an impossibility; and we may be permitted to remark that there are more pastures requiring drainage, and the want of which is the primary cause of their inferiority, than many appear to be aware of. One thing we may be certain ofthat as long as there is a single case of rot in sheep, we may rest assured that the thorough-drain has not been called upon to lend its aid in eradicating the evil.

If the land has become fogged, or covered with mosses, the harrow may be used with good effect; and afterwards let the opportunity of a damp morning be taken advantage of, to sow grass seeds over the parts which have been most scarified by the implement.

The application of bone-dust, at the rate of say twenty bushels per statute acre, is, we need scarcely say, a most efficient mode of improving inferior pastures. Instead, however, of putting them on the land in their natural state, another method may be adopted, and which we believe to be the better plan. When grass land is drained-pipes being used as under-ground conduit-let the filling of the drains be finished neatly, without laying the top sod on the surface, Collect these sods, and after chopping them in pieces, form a heap, upon each layer of which spread a quantity of bones, and also coarse salt. There will be thus-first a layer of earth, next a covering of bones and salt, then earth, again bones and salt, and so on, until the heap is say four feet high. The uppermost layer must be of earth. The bones to be at the rate of 20 bush. an acre, and the salt 5 cwt. The former will decompose rapidly, and become absorbed in this heap of earth. It may be applied to the land a month