GRASS-LAND AND ARABLE 127 



these are Wild White Clover and Rough-stalked 

 Meadow Grass, and there is little doubt that the 

 Wild White Clover favours the development of 

 Rough-stalked Meadow Grass, as is well exemplified 

 by some of Mr. Porter's plots in Herefordshire. 

 Wild White Clover can be established on almost 

 every soil by adequate manurial treatment, and 

 Rough-stalked Meadow Grass will succeed even on 

 thin and poor soils to a greater extent than is gene- 

 rally supposed, provided the rainfall is adequate. 

 The Wild White Clover and Rough-stalked Meadow 

 Grass combination is most valuable from the point of 

 view of smothering out weeds and for maintaining 

 a close turf. I do not believe that Rough-stalked 

 Meadow Grass is of great value as a herbage plant 

 for animals, for, although of high nutritive value, it is 

 not readily eaten by stock. A good ley should in 

 short have all the advantages of an old permanent 

 sward with the additional advantage that the one or 

 two hay crops taken should be more bulky than that 

 from an old meadow, contain far more Red Clover, 

 and altogether less weeds. For it must be remem- 

 bered that the heavy crops of hay obtained from "fine 

 old meadows ' often consist of one-third to one-half 

 of plants like Soft Brome, Yorkshire Fog, Sorrel, and 

 Hard Heads. 



I have spoken of Rough-stalked Meadow Grass and 

 Wild White Clover as plants required to give what 

 I might call the permanent touch to a ley; whilst Rye- 

 grass, Red and Alsike Clovers will add valuable bulk 

 during the first two years, and Cocksfoot and Timothy 

 during the whole period. It now remains to be asked 

 if the list of plants desired should end with these. 

 There is no doubt that, for reasons which will be 

 explained later, it is desirable to add to the list. 

 The permanent plants which suggest themselves are 



