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The Country Gentleman's Magazine 



for the growth of green crop, but there is generally a 

 ton of turnips removed from the land for every ton of 

 manure applied. Five quarters wheat or eight of oats 

 are next taken, and the third year a crop of hay with 

 seed. It is not to be wondered that after so much has 

 been taken from the land with only one manuring, the 

 grass should refuse to grow luxuriantly. It Ls not so 

 much the ordeal through wliich the soil has passed 

 tliat hinders the growth of pasture as the absence of 

 the food requisite for its maintenance. The land hav- 

 ing been cleaned of all vegetating roots, we are^ de- 

 pendant on the seeds introduced for a sward, and as it 

 Is generally ryegrass and clovers that are sown, unless 

 the land receives a supply of manure, the ryegrass 

 plants, having ripened their seeds, will thin out quicker 

 than the clovers can cover their spaces, thus producing 

 but a thin pasture. It generally comes a little earlier 

 after the land has been green cropped ; and by intro- 

 ducing a proper selection of grasses and judicious top- 

 dressing, the finest pasture will be produced. How- 

 ever, as there has been for some time back consider- 

 able risk of injuring the land from the seasons proving 

 unfavourable, I would only deem it expedient to green 

 crop when the condition of the land demands it, to 

 clear it of weeds and introduce a better class of grasses. 

 When land has once been brought under a good sward, 

 it may be retained without green cropping by raising 

 good crops and sowing out with a proper selection of 

 seeds. But as we cannot lay down one rule to suit all 

 circumstances, my remarks are not applicable to either 

 the light soils near the sea level, where green crops 

 can be more profitably raised, or to the higher and 

 more moorland districts, where the cereals are more 

 hazardous. 



GRASSES TO BE SOWN'. 



For the sowing down of pasture a considerable 

 number of "grasses ought to be sown, as it is a well 

 authenticated fact that grasses of different kinds grow 

 much closer together than those of the same species. 

 If one species only be sown, no matter what species, 

 or how thickly sown, or on what character or condi- 

 tion of soil, only a portion of the plants will prosper, 

 and Ijlank spaces will occur among them, inviting their 

 occupation by thistles or any other weeds whose 

 seeds may be ripening in the locality. But if a proper 

 mixture in sufficient quantity be sown, the plants will 

 grow more rapidly, and encouraging each other, will 

 soon cover every portion of the surface, giving it the 

 appearance and the properties of old ])asture. As the 

 grasses differ in composition, some abounding in fatty 

 matter, some in saccharine juices, some in protein com- 

 pounds, and others in extractive matter, so the food 

 presented to the animals by a mixture of grasses is of 

 a more varied character, is more conducive to their 

 health, and enables them to yield a richer produce. 

 The mixture of grasses sown must be selected accord- 

 ing to the quality, the condition, and the situation of 

 the land. I will mention a few which are easily grown 

 and very nutritious, are adapted to a great proportion 



of the county, and are coming every year into more 

 general cultivation, while lyegrass and white clover 

 continue to form the groundwork of the sward. 



The first I would mention is Timothy. This grass 

 adapts itself to aU situations, but thrives best in strong, 

 damp loams. It is a quick grower, produces a great 

 amount of herbage, is as early in spring as rj'egrass, is 

 later in ripening its seeds, and contains nearly double 

 the amount of nutritive matter. It is greatly relished 

 by stock, either in the dried state or in pasture. Its 

 seeds are very small, and require not to be deeply 

 covered when sowTi. 



Cocksfoot is also a hardy grass, and may be profit- 

 ably introduced into pasture. It grows readily on all 

 clay lands, and, when well cultivated, produces a great 

 amount of herbage. It grows very rapidly after being 

 cut, and when l^ept constantly low by grazing it is 

 more profitable than ryegrass. Its habit of growth is 

 tufty, and will thin out after four or five years. Its 

 seeds require a deeper cover than Timothy, growing 

 best with about i Yz inches of cover, but may be mi.xed 

 and SO ATI with perennial ryegrass. I would also re- 

 commend crested dogstail as a grass worthy of our 

 attention. Although it is not such a strong grower as 

 those already mentioned, yet it is nutritious, is readily 

 eaten by cattle, and is an ingredient of all old pastures. 

 It grows freely when sown, although its earliest stems 

 shoot readily up to seed, and are then refused by cattle. 

 Yet a great number of small fresh leaves grow out from 

 its root, and give a healthy colour to the fields. For 

 sheep particularly this is a valuable grass ; but though 

 some agricultural writers assign it but a minor place in 

 cattle pasture, yet, in my own experience, I have found 

 it conducive to the richness of the sward. Meadow 

 foxtail may also be sown. It is a strong-growing grass, 

 comes early in spring, is succulent and relished by the 

 cattle, although not quite so nutritious as those already 

 mentioned. Rough-stalked meadow grass is also valu- 

 able in mixture with those already named. It sends 

 out trailing shoots along the ground, from the joints 

 of which roots are sent into the soil, and thus occupies 

 all the empty space. It is eaten closely by the cattle, 

 and helps up the verdant freshness of the pasture at 

 the end of the season. It is incapable of providing 

 good pasture alone, but under shelter of those stronger 

 growing grasses, it will flourish and thicken up the 

 sward with nutritious food. I might also mention 

 several other of the poas and some of the fescue 

 grasses as useful in pasture, but, being creeping rooted, 

 they are better adapted for pennanent pasture than for 

 alternate husbandr)-. Those that I have mentioned 

 are well worthy of our attention, and being carefully 

 sown along with perennial ryegrass and some clovers, 

 will make a valuable contribution to our pastures. In 

 order that the seeds may be got properly covered, the 

 land should be well pulverized and made compara- 

 tively smooth on the surface previous to seeding, and 

 2 bushels perennial ryegrass, 4 lb. cocksfoot, 2 11). 

 meadow foxtail, and 2 lb. red clover, should be 

 mixed and evenly strewn on a Scotch acre, and covered 



