338 



ON RAISING GRASS SEEDS AND FORMING MEADOWS. 



of weeds. 



the hoe and the weeder continually among all our crops, 

 this being essential to their welfare. I cannot help, there- 

 fore, observing, how extremely absurd it is to endeavour to 

 form clean and good pasturage under a crop, that gives as 

 much protection to every noxious weed as to the young 

 Extermination grass itself*. Weeds are of two descriptions, and each 

 require a very different mode of extermination. Thus if an- 

 nual, as the charlock and poppy, they will flower among 

 the corn, and the seeds will ripen and drdp before harvest, 

 and be ready to vegetate as soon as the corn is removed ; 

 and if perennial, as thistles, docks, couch-grass, and a 

 long tribe of others in this way, well known to the farmer, 

 they will be found to take such firm possession of the ground, 

 that they will not be got rid of without great trouble and 

 expense. 



Although the crop of corn thus obtained is valuable, yet, 

 when a good and permanent meadow is wanted, and when 

 all the strength of the land is required to nurture the young 

 grass thus robbed and injured, the proprietor is often at 

 considerable expense the second year for manure ; which, 

 taking into consideration the trouble and disadvantage at- 

 tending it, more than counterbalances the profit of the corn 

 crop. 



To accomplish fully the formation of permanent meadows 

 three things are necessary, namely, to clean the land, to 

 procure good and perfect seeds adapted to the nature of the 

 soil, and to keep the crop clean by eradicating all the weeds, 

 till the grases have grown sufficiently to prevent the intro- 

 duction of other plants. The first of these matters is known 

 to every good farmer, — the second may be obtained, — and 

 the third may be accomplished by practising the modes in 



Advantage of 

 the corn crop 

 overbalanced. 



Formation of 

 permanent . 

 meadows. 



, * I do not wish it to be understood, that I allude to the system, 

 practised in Surry and other counties, of sowing clover and rye- 

 grass under barley, when it is intended only for a season or two, in 

 order to change the course of crop, and to be returned again to 

 arable crops as soon as the clover is exhausted, or, what is more 

 frequently the case, overpowered with the weeds that have been 

 nurtured with it; this is totally different, and is not intended for a 

 permanent crop. 



which 



