200 



•withstandinof the effect of lon":-continued (lroui)-bt, or of lonGf-continued 

 rains. These particulars constitute a most material guide in the forma- 

 tion of a meadow or permanent pasture of the best quality for early 

 spring produce, superior weight of crop, nutritive powers, and a constant 

 supply of new herbage throughout the season, under every circumstance 

 of unfavorable extremes of Aveather. 



" The grasses of most value to the farmer will not grow close together, 

 or the same sort, for any length of time, however thickly planted from 

 seed. In one or two seasons, intermediate plants decay and leave vacant 

 places ; but when a variety of different species, adaptec^ to the soil, are 

 mixed, they grow close, form a dense bottom, and continue permanent. 



" The different grasses, and other plants, which compose the produce 

 of the richest natural meadows in England, are in number about twenty- 

 six. From spring to the end of autumn, there is not a month which does 

 not constitute the particular season of superior luxuriance or height of 

 growth of one or more of these grasses. 



" The sorts combined vary according to the nature of the soil. If 

 sand is the principal ingredient, then we find that hard fescue grass, 

 smooth fescue, fine bent, creeping soft, tufted-leaf bent, crested dogs-tail, 

 smooth -stalked meadow, and meadow soft grass are the best. 



" Calcareous soils abound with the rough-headed cocks-foot grass, 

 meadow fescue, crested dogs-tail, hard fescue, perennial rye-grass, 

 upright perennial brome, yellow oat, and sheep's fescue. 



" Argfillaceous soils encoura«-e the followino- : meadow cats-tail, or 

 timothy grass, rough-headed cocks-foot, Pacey's improved rye-grass, rib- 

 grass or lambs tongue, fiorin, creeping bent, meadow fox-tail, tall oat-- 

 grass, and others of less note. 



" A mixed soil of the above ingredients is found to give vigor to 

 meadow fox-tail, meadow fescue, rough-headed cocks-foot, meadow cats- 

 tail, meadow soft, rough high meadow, sweet-scented vernal, perennial 

 rye-grass, and a variety of others not so abundant. 



"A peaty soil has been found to abound with sweet-scented vernal, 

 rough-headed cocks-foot, meadow fescue, roughish meadow, meadow 

 fox-tail, crested dogs-tail, creeping bent (narrow-leaf) meadow soft grass. 



"Dutch clover is an essential ingredient in every pasture. It will grow 

 in every kind of soil Avhere proper pasture grasses can exist." 



It is a fact that twenty of these different varieties are sometimes found 

 in a few feet square of turf of an old meadow ; and land, the principal 



