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Additional Crops for Cows and Sheep. 14 'J 



in depth. In the following summer the first crop should be 

 mown, as it is unwise to run sheep on it too hard at first. In 

 subsequent springs it should be well harrowed to destroy 

 weeds. Heavy cuttings for soiling cows can be taken during 

 the summer, especially if the crop is not allowed to become too 

 mature, that is to say cut not later than when the flower shows. 



Lupines are not deserving of special attention under the 

 heading of this paper, for though they may be cultivated with 

 considerable advantage, especially in regard to their powers of 

 obtaining nitrogen from the air, other crops can, as a rule, be 

 grown with better results. However, the blue lupine proves 

 useful as a sheep food on some light sandy soils which will not 

 carry clovers often. 



Italian rye-grass holds a strong position amongst those 

 grasses commonly employed to produce temporary pastures, 

 and in the shorter leys it is undoubtedly the most valuable 

 and the most popular. Its value being so well recognised in 

 this respect, and although it is not intended to discuss all 

 the plants gi'own in temporary pastures, it may be well to 

 discuss its suitability to special conditions. Its great assets 

 are heavy yield, rapid growth, suitability to most soils, frost 

 resistance and early spring growth, high feeding value, 

 cheapness of the seed, and exceptional value under irrigation ; 

 it grows well in association with the bigger clovers, and thus 

 helps to heavy crops of mixture hay, and it can be grown as 

 a catch crop in cases of emergency. It can be sown at any 

 time between February and October, inclusive, with all 

 reasonable expectation of success ; therefore, it is peculiarly 

 adapted to be used at any {»eriod when irregular cropping, 

 such as the most varied forms of catch cropping, set the 

 land free. Even on vei-y light soils in the driest climates, 

 where it is least suited to rotation growth, it is valuable 

 as a " single cut " crop, providing an early light run for 

 lambs, and as a subsequent crop, allowing the land to be 

 bastard fallowed, or if clean to be put into roots. In districts 

 where catch cropping is not ordinarily so convenient as, for 

 instance, on the chalks, but where it is desired to have the 

 lambs fall early, Italian rye-grass alone, or with trefoil, is 

 often taken and treated in this way. In like manner the crop 

 provides early keep for cows ; though where it is required 

 for cows, crimson clover (trifolium) is more often preferred, as 

 giving greater bulk. This is convenient because Italian rye- 

 grass is well suited to mend or replace spring-sown " seeds " 

 which have failed in summer droughts ; though land which 

 has had an early bastard fallowing, or has carried a crop 

 which has been taken off the land early, can l^e put to this 

 form of cropping. Not only does Italian rye-grass grow 



