REPORT OF THE AGRICULTURE OF AYRSHIRE. 73 



former is also a very superior hay-plant to the ryegrass. Their 

 seeds besides can usually be had fresh, which is a point much 

 in their favour. There is no great use in recommending 

 " natural grass-seeds," such as, the fescues, the poas, cocksfoot 

 and foxtail, till once our farmers begin and raise these them- 

 selves, or till such demand exists as that they can be got fresh 

 from regular lwme- growers. There is no doubt as to the supe- 

 riority of these species as hay and pasture plants over the rye- 

 grass, but there is just as little uncertainty with respect to the 

 great inferiority of their seeds as presently to be had. So long- 

 as we are so much dependent on " foreign" grass-seeds (or, trash, 

 rather), so long will all wise farmers scunner at using them, and 

 no wonder. 



More farmers should follow Mr. Wilson's example by sowing 

 down their lands in autumn or spring, without a cereal crop, 

 and after a green-crop or fallow. The increase in the hay and 

 sequent pasturage would more than compensate for the loss of 

 a white crop. More seeds per acre must be sown when without 

 a cereal crop, and the thicker planted the better, so as to keep out 

 mosses and weeds ; and the laud being in good heart from the 

 previous green-cropping, is competent to maintain the close 

 matting of grasses in flourishing condition. Much seed is wasted 

 by sowing on rough land without a previous rolling. In every 

 case the surface should be smoothed before sowing seeds, and 

 just simply scratched after with very short- tined light harrows. 



Mixture of seeds for sowing down Ayrshire clays, lieavy and medium loams, 

 and upland grey soils, without a cereal crop. 



Lbs per imp. acre, and cost. 

 Names 

 Ryegrass, of a light weight, per bush., 

 Timothy grass, 

 Crested l)ogstail grass, 



Hard Fescue grass, 

 White clover, 

 Yellow clover, 

 Alsyke clover, 



47 lbs. for 22s. lOd. 47 lbs. for 22s. 2d. 



On the more fertile loamy soils, a proportion of meadow 

 fescue, cocksfoot, rough poa, &c, would doubtless be beneficial ; 

 but the writer would strongly urge farmers to test the growing 

 quality of the seeds of these ere purchasing. 



If ryegrass seeding must be persisted in, 'why not take the 

 seed crop in lieu of a cereal one, and thus the soil would not be so 

 much exhausted. Sow at the rate of nearly 3 bushels of ryegrass 

 per acre for seeding, with 6 lbs. timothy, 3 lbs. dogstail, and t> lbs. 

 white clover, for the benefit of the following pasture. That would 

 surely be an improvement on the present system. Eais- 

 ing of ryegrass seeds for a few years back has certainly been 



