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GRASSLAND SURVEYS IN ENGLAND 1939–1959
Author(s) -
Idle A. A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1975.tb01363.x
Subject(s) - grassland , arable land , geography , agronomy , tillage , agroforestry , agriculture , environmental science , biology , archaeology
The results of three sample surveys of grassland, carried out in England in 1939, 1947 and 1959, are reported. In 1939, the amount of agricultural land returned as permanent grass was at a record level. Nearly half of this was ploughed up during the Second World War. This was primarily for tillage crops, but the secondary aim was for old grass to be replaced by sown swards of better quality. The surveys showed that, during the 20‐year period, the quality of English grassland improved (a) because a greater proportion of the poorer swards was ploughed; (b) because greater use resulted in improvements in the botanical composition of the remaining old grass, and (c) because of the large increase in the use of sown grass in both arable and non‐arable farmings.