Grass draws moisture from recent rain, that is as it were current account, or from underground supplies of rain fallen some time previously, perhaps during last winter. In the west of England, where it frequently rains all day during our summer holidays, grass grows continuously, even if it lives entirely on current account. Thus the marshes are productive because there is permanent water near enough for some moisture to soak upwards. There are many pastures that are not favoured with extreme rainfall, nor with permanent water within four feet of the surface, yet they could be made better in regard to water storage. One of the most important things is that the showers of summer should go into the soil, not stay on top to be dried off by the sun.
Short grass is therefore better than long grass, which catches a shower before it reaches the soil.
A mat of moss or dead grass is a very serious barrier to rain entering the soil. At first sight it might seem almost hopeless to try to loosen the soil in a pasture without ploughing and starting again. A man I know took over some pasture three and a half years ago. There was a part where hardly a clover plant was to be seen. Sheep's sorrel everywhere showed that, lime, was lacking, so a dressing of lime was given as.