256 THE NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FOOD OF 



Fescues grown under the above conditions very frequently 

 becomes viviparous — that is, in place of seeds forming out of the 

 flowers, young plants are produced on a spike at the top of the 

 flower stalk. These can be planted and made to take root and 

 grow. This is a peculiarity met with in various orders of plants 

 grown on high and wet districts where there is not sufficient 

 sunshine to mature seeds ; and is no doubt a provision of 

 nature to allow for the propagation of th(} species, other than by 

 the usual way of seed, when the conditions are not favourable 

 to these ripening. 



Other methods are adopted for keeping down the excessive 

 growth of the spret plant. Grazing cattle along with sheep, if 

 judiciously managed, is a very excellent plan. Burning off all 

 withered remainy of the growth of the previous year, during the 

 dry weather of spring, is an easy method, and has some special 

 advantages in destroying parasitic pests which may be lodging 

 there. It has one disadvantage, that there is no use made of the 

 produce of the soil, all being dissipated ; and besides, there are 

 certain classes of clay bogs that are much injured for years by 

 such burning. 



I approve more of the very effectual way of cutting for hay. 

 This, if under the care of an intelligent shepherd who has the 

 interest of his sheep at heart, cannot fail to be a success. 

 The experienced shepherd knows what will stand and be of 

 use in winter, and what will fall and decay. The same part will 

 not require to be cut more than once in two or three years. 

 Of course, this way is expensive, and would only be gone in for 

 when hay could be made use of to advantage ; and operations of 

 this sort, especially on a large place, must be within controllable 

 limits. It is not too much to say, however, that a certain amount 

 should be cut for the purpose indicated on all really good " spret- 

 land " farms. There are advantages besides those alreadv named. 

 The aftermath of fine fresh grasses and young spret which comes 

 up, is most valuable in autum^n, when nearly all else is old 

 and partly withered, and the best eaten out of it by the sheep. 

 If the winter be frostv, such bare land would be of no use ; 

 but, on the other hand, if the weather be fresh and open, there 

 will always be green pickings got all through, and will be the 

 first available when growth comes next spring. One disadvant- 

 age of burning is the checking of the early spring growth, besides 

 the browning by singeing the tips of the young shoots, and so 

 preventing sheep eating them so soon as they otherwise would. 



The great thing to do in mowing hill land is not, as is usually 

 supposed, to avoid cutting too much, but to cut the right places 

 at the right season, which latter means not too late in the year. 



We now take the Cyperacece, including sedges, and after that 

 the more important plants will be arranged in the order in which 



