The Country Gcntlcniaiis Magazine 



33 



^hc J^arni. 



ME A D O H 'S A ND HA I \MA KING. 



IT is an exceedingly suggestive circum- 

 stance that of the very numerous varie- 

 ties of grasses which grow in the British Isles, 

 but a comparatively small number are found 

 in our meadows, from which the supply of 

 forage is obtained, and of this number only a 

 proportion are to be classed amongst the 

 really useful grasses. Thus we find that the 

 good, or rather the best, do not exceed eight 

 varieties, these being found only on the best 

 deep meadow soils. We may here name 

 them : i, The Meadow foxtail (Alopecurus 

 pratensis) ; 2, Timothy grass or catstail 

 (Phleum pratense) ; 3, Perennial rye-grass 

 (Lolium perenne) ; 4, Smooth meadow 

 grass (Poa pratensis) ; 5, Rough meadow 

 grass (Poa trivialis) ; 6, Cocksfoot (Dac- 

 tylis glomerata) ; 7, Meadow fescue (Fes- 

 tuca pratensis) ; 8, Slender fescue (Festuca 

 loliacea). In shallower meadow soils we find 

 nine varieties, as — i, The sweet-scented 

 vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) ; 



2, Boehmeri catstail (Phleum Boehmeri) ; 



3, White bent (Agrostis alba, van) ; 4, 

 Common bent (Agrostis vulgaris) ; 5, 

 Crested - hair grass (Aira cristata) ; 6, 

 Meadow barley (Hordeum pratense) ; 7, 

 Sheep's fescue (Festuca ovina) ; 8, Hard 

 fescue (Festuca duriuscula) ; 9, Upright 

 brome (Bromus erectus). If we now glance 

 at the poorer soils and the upland districts, 

 we find the really useful grasses reduced to a 

 much less number. Thus, in poor clay soils 

 we find three only, as — i, Soft grass (Hol- 

 cus lanatus) ; 2, Crested dogstail (Cy- 

 nosurus cristatus) ; 3, Quaking gi-ass 

 (Briza media). In the uplands we have 

 four useful grasses — i. Wavy hair grass 

 (Aira flexuosa) ; 2, Oat-like grass (Arrhena- 

 therum avenaceum) ; 3, Hairy oat grass 

 (Avena pubescens) ; 4, Yellow oat grass 



VOL I. 



(Avena flaveScens). From these statements 

 we perceive how necessary it is that the most 

 be made of our meadows, the really useful 

 grasses being so few. Hence the advantage 

 of carefully considering the modes of cultiva- 

 tion best adapted, not only to increase the 

 quantity or yield of the grasses grown, but 

 to see that those grasses are the best adapted 

 for the soil and the locality. Various mbc- 

 tures are recommended by recognised autho- 

 rities for various soils and for conditions of 

 husbandry, whether these be under the " per- 

 manent " or the " artificial " system ; but it is 

 obvious, in considering many of these mixtures, 

 that they are merely conventional, and are 

 arranged apparently upon the principle that 

 as they have been found good for one or two 

 soils and localities, they will be found good 

 for all, or at least many others — a most fal- 

 lacious principle, and one which has led to 

 many grievous errors, and equally grievous 

 disappointments in practice ; for we know 

 that a grass which will grow, and grow well, 

 in one soil and locality will be stunted in 

 growth or altogether starved in another. 

 Hence this department of farming requires a 

 much higher degree of care and consideration 

 than is often accorded to it ; and in all cases 

 where grasses are to be sown down, either 

 in alternate husbandry or for permanent 

 meadows, a very careful consideration should 

 be given to the nature and quality of 

 the soil, the position of the fields in 

 which they are to be sown, with relation 

 to other parts of the locality, their exposure 

 to determinating influences, and even to the 

 locality itself The same care requires to 

 be given to the selection and use of manures. 

 That judiciously chosen manures, and these 

 applied with no stinted hand, are required, is 



