Introduction by Sir R. George Stapledon
Author's Prefaces
Chapter 1: Introductory
Author's opportunities for forming sound conclusions as to the changes required by the times
Remodelling our agricultural system
The writings of Arthur Young
The importance of local experience
New system of farming suitable to the habits of gentlemen
New system of farming provides deeply tilled, humus-fed soil, ensuring good crops
British agriculture will revive if suitable changes of system are made
Proposed changes are to the mutual advantage of landlords and tenants
Similar principles laid down by M. Porcius Cato 2,000 years ago
Why farmers oppose agricultural changes
Falsity of the old saw as to 'making a pasture breaking a man'
Agricultural changes adopted in La Manche Agricultural schools and experimental farms aid the Normandy farmers
Great Britain requires Government agricultural schools and experimental farms
Chapter 2: General Principles
The dominating principle as regards the change of system
The cheap production of a good turf-the solution of all our agricultural difficulties
Worthlessness of Bi-metallism and Protection as remedies for agricultural depression
Land legislation no cure for our agricultural difficulties
Farming was more profitable when rents were higher
Turf is the best manurial agent
A mixture of deep-rooting plants will at once till, manure, and clean the land
Crops less liable to disease, and weeds abolished
Locke's Conduct of the Understanding
Lord Leicester's system of farming light lands
Seed mixture used by Lord Leicester
Author's mixture will provide a better turf in less time
A green crop should follow pasture
Chapter 3: On Disintegrating the Soil and Permeating It with Vegetable Matter
Sir John Lawes' opinion on the importance of good Physical condition. of soil
Mr. Faunce de Laune's opinion on the same point
The physical condition of the soil is of even more importance than the, strictly speaking, chemical condition
Laying down land to permanent grass
Deep-rooting plants are the best cultivating and fertilizing agents
Illustrations of soil disintegration by the agency of roots
Laying down two high, poor land, exhausted fields
The Inner and Outer Kaimrig field experiments
Remarkable results obtained after relaying one of the fields
Taking turnips after grass
Practical illustrations of the value of drought-resisting plants, such as Chicory, Burnet, Kidney Vetch, and Yarrow
The value of Burnet and Yarrow for keeping sheep in good health, and especially in diminishing diarrhoea
Deep and strong-rooting plants extinguish couch grasses, and lessen moss
Turnips grown without manure
The Clifton Park system of farming explained
Farmers are not aided by Government schools and farms as are agriculturists abroad
Losses resulting from want of proper means of instruction
Efforts of County Councils of little practical value to farmers
Chapter 4: Arthur Young, and Some of His Agricultural Experiences with Reference to Chicory, Burnet, and Other Forage Plants
Brief account of Arthur Young's life and works
His great unpublished work -- The Elements and Practice of Agriculture
Chicory introduced into England by Arthur Young in 1798
The great value of Chicory
Advantages and disadvantages of Chicory
Burnet, its uses and value
The excessive use of turnips undesirable
Rouen, or aftermath preserved for spring use
The use of fog, or the growth of the whole year preserved for winter and spring use
Arthur Young on laying down land to grass
Browsing
Arthur Young's remarkable personality
Chapter 5: Laying Down Land to Grass, and the Treatment of the Pasture
Dr. Keith's Agriculture of Aberdeenshire
Dr. Anderson's remarks on Ryegrass
'Observations of British Grasses'
Various methods of laying down land to grass
The after-management of permanent pasture
Importance of rolling the land after grasses have come up
Pastures should not be overstocked the first year
Clifton Park Seed Mixtures may be grazed throughout the first year, and hayed the second or subsequent years
Importance of re-seeding vacant patches in pastures
Moss in pastures
Treatment of the pasture in the third and fourth years
How to obtain greatest amount of winter and spring keep from pastures
Rouen, or preserved aftermath
'Fogging the land' in South Wales
Shutting-up a pasture at Sharsted Court
Fine pastures may be formed from the largest grasses
Advantages from letting up a pasture as regards re-seeding and prevention of moss
Hill pastures might be improved if treated on the Welsh fogging system
Chapter 6: Forage Plants
Danger of regulating present practices by previous customs which may not be founded on a sound experience
Cause of the preference for Ryegrass
Mr. James Hunter's note thereon
The Ryegrass controversy
Sinclair's opinion as to Cocksfoot being superior to Ryegrass
The effect of plant roots on the soil
The grass mixtures usually sown not founded on sound principles
New grass mixtures used by author
The value of deep-rooting plants for breaking up hard pans
Chicory, Burnet, and Kidney Vetch as subsoilers
Chicory superior to Parsnip as a deep-rooter
Opinions of a well-known farmer as regards two poor land fields
Probable results had sheep been fed with oilcake
Importance of careful tillage and seeding
Liberal seeding essential to success
The number of germinating seeds required to sow an acre
Quality of seed of great importance
The Lake field laid down with seeds from two different sources, and the results
Differences in plants grown from seed produced in various climates should be further investigated
Remarks on Cocksfoot, the most valuable of grasses
The management of Cocksfoot
Tall Fescue grass
Tall Oat grass
The three most important grasses
Grass mixture of hardy, drought-resisting, health-preserving, and deep-rooting plants
Timothy grass
Italian Ryegrass
Perennial Ryegrass, Meadow Fescue, and Meadow Foxtail grasses
Fertile, or Late-flowering Meadow grass
Rough-stalked Meadow grass
Golden Oat, Smooth-stalked Meadow, Hard Fescue, and Sweet Vernal grasses
Crested Dogstail, Wood Meadow, Fine-leaved Fescue, and Nerved Meadow grasses
Late-flowering Red, White, and Alsike Clovers
Kidney Vetch and Yarrow
Lucerne, Sainfoin, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Sheep's Parsley, and Cotton grass
Chapter 7: Why Government Experimental Farms Are So Specially Needed, and the Lines on which They Should Be Laid
Aversion of agriculturists to intellectual exertion
The mental condition of landlords, tenant farmers, and factors in regard to agricultural matters
Need for experimental farms for the instruction of those connected with land
Visitors to Clifton-on-Bowmont farm
The Board of Agriculture and its policy
'Can the blind lead the blind?'
Experiments at Cockle Park, Morpeth
Exhaustion of humus not remedied by use of artificial manures
Manurial experiments with hay and potatoes at Cockle Park
Experiments with potatoes at Clifton-on-Bowmont
Experiments with sheep at Cockle Park
Two sets of experiments required on experimental farms
The Government asked to take lease of Clifton-on-Bowmont experimental farm
Central seed-testing station not yet established
Chapter 8: The Principles on which a Landlord Should Farm, Both for Himself and His Successors
Indian proverb -- the three great desires of man
The American Constitution
Landlord's rights in Ireland
The landlord should farm with a view to least risk
Clifton-on-Bowmont farm yields rent, interest on capital, and shows a steady increase in fertility
Landlords should themselves farm the inferior portions of their property
System of farming at Clifton-on-Bowmont described
Sheep stock at Clifton-on-Bowmont
Cattle at Clifton-on-Bowmont
Poultry
Landed Improvements
Agriculture our biggest industry
Foreign. Competition
The stock of this country might be greatly increased
What is a true rotation of crops?
Nitrogen collecting crops
Agriculture on a sound footing
Extreme economy of production
Leguminous crops absolutely essential to maintain the fertility of the soil
Increase of rural population
Climatic effect of woods and shelters
Recent land legislation
Nationalization of land
Nationalized, and permanently settled lands in British India
Irish Land Act of 1881
Letter to Author's Agent in King's Co.
English foresight
Threatened legislation
Appendix 1
Paper Contributed by Mr. James Hunter, Agricultural Seed Merchant, Chester
Grass seeds commonly used for laying down land to grass greatly differ in appearance, etc.
The germination of seeds
The weight of the seed as a test of quality
The number of seeds in a given weight of the different species of grasses varies greatly
The cost per million germinating seeds
Standard of quality of seeds for grass mixtures
The quantity of grass and clover seeds sufficient to sow an acre
The average price of seeds for the years 1898 to 1907
The relative productiveness of various grasses
Grasses arranged in the order of their cost for seeds to sow an acre
More seed required when land not in fine tilth
The mixing of grass and clover seeds
Appendix 2
On Some Notes on the Seed Trade and Grass Seeds Supplied by Mr. James Hunter, Agricultural Seed Merchant, Chester
Mr. Faunce de Laune's Paper on 'Laying down land to Permanent Pasture', and its important results
Condition of the Grass Seed Trade in this country
An easy and safe method of obtaining good seeds
The excessive use of clover
Appendix 3
The Latest Experiences, up to the End of November 1907, Have Been Added to the Experimental and Other Notes in this Appendix
The Inner Kaimrig experiment
The Outer Kaimrig experiment
The Bank Field experiment
Experiments in Alghope field
Difference between five-course rotation and that on Author's farm
Experiments of the Cambridge University Department of Agriculture at Abbotsley with Permanent Pasture on poor clay soil
Success of the Clifton Park System in growing potatoes without manure
Turnips grown without manure
Causes of young pastures failing
Mixture of drought-resisting plants for bare rocky surfaces
Importance of drought-resisting plants
How most cheaply to re-seed pastures
The grazing of pastures
Aftermath must be lightly grazed
Effects of haying land the first year
Importance of rolling land
Effects of the System in preventing loss from wash
Moss, important result in Outer Kaimrig
Moss, letting up fogged-up, or mossed-up, hill pastures
Safety of the system as regards hay and pasture
Effects of the system in abolishing weeds
Comparison of the results of the new system with those of an adjacent farm
Grass inoculation
Success of the system as regards crops, stock and cultivation
Effect of system after ploughing the second turf
Filling up vacant spots in first year's grass
Success of the system as regards turnip disease
Advantage of deep-rooted plants
Dew ponds
Manures used for turnips at Clifton-on-Bowmont
Why land on my system increases in fertility
Decomposition of vegetable matter
On the quantity of clover seed that should be used
The downward penetration of Chicory and Burnet
Experiments with different varieties of chicory
Importance of laying down foul land at two operations
The agreement of plants and trees in nature
The excessive use of ryegrass
General success of the system
Financial results
Professor Barnes' communication
The purchase of grass seeds
Comparison between turf from old pasture and that from deep-rooting plants
The mixing and sowing of grass seeds at Clifton-on-Bowmont
The work of the Board of Agriculture
Concluding remarks
Appendix 4
Note by Dr. Voelcker on comparison of the soils of old Cheviot turf and five-year-old pasture
Second note by Dr. Voelcker on the composition and character of the soil of the Bankfield
Third note by Dr. Voelcker
Appendix 5
Appendix 6
Appendix 7
Tenant farmer's letter on Clifton Park system, and method of taking turnips after lea
The opinion of a well-known Border Agriculturist about the farming and stocking of Clifton-on-Bowmont farm
Appendix 8
Suggested Changes of Farming System: Paper read at a meeting of Border Union Agricultural Society, October 1902
Appendix 9
The Clover Mystery, a probable solution of it: Paper read at a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Cambridge, 19th August 1904
Postscript to paper read at the meeting of the British Association at Cambridge, 1904
A Map of Clifton-on-Bowmont Experiment and Demonstration Farm
Next: Introduction by Sir R. George Stapledon
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