574 • " NATURAL SCIENCE. oct.. 



A second table gives the composition of loo parts of meadow 

 fescue and cocksfoot at different periods. It shows that the amount 

 of digestible albumenoid in the full-leaf stage is about six times as 

 great as in the seeding stage, and also that the most economical 

 proportion of digestible food — one of albumenoids to about five to 

 seven of carbohydrates — is found only in the leaf stage. It follows, 

 therefore, that " the most nutritious pastures are those in which the 

 plants are not allowed to flower and seed, but are kept in leaf by 

 continual grazing of stock," and on this point botanists, chemists, 

 and practical graziers are all agreed. 



Apart from the feeding value of a grass, its palatableness must 

 be considered. Animals, as in the case of man, have their likes and 

 dislikes, and a grass, however nutritious when the only available food, 

 becomes useless in a pasture where it is passed over and left 

 untouched. Hence it is important to know what plants are selected 

 and what are rejected by grazing stock. The identification of the 

 former is not an easy matter, as favourite grasses are so much eaten 

 down that it is hard to recognise the species. But, as the author 

 suggests, by enclosing a few square yards of grass land that has been 

 thus eaten down, the stock will be kept off, and the various species 

 will grow up and flower, and can then be easily identified. 



As regards rejection of plants by stock, Mr. Carruthers suggests 

 a very simple method of determination. It is merely to note those 

 grasses which have been allowed to run to seed, and have, therefore, 

 obviously been passed over, as in eating the leaves cattle will also 

 bite off" the top of the undeveloped stem, and thus prevent flowering. 

 By this means, the farmer will ascertain not only what grasses he is 

 to reject from mixtures for new pastures, but also what weeds should 

 be got rid of; for the latter, though perfectly innocent in themselves, 

 are occupying the space and consuming the food which would other- 

 wise be at the service of nutritious plants. Yarrow and ragwort are 

 both found in many pastures ; the former is palatable to the stock, 

 and is everywhere eaten down, but every plant of ragwort runs up to 

 flower, thereby proving its unpalatable nature. 



A short account is given of the " Rye-grass Controversy." 

 Scientific agriculturists are divided in their opinions as to the value 

 of this grass. Mr. De Laune observed that his rams passed it by 

 when selecting food in a mixed pasture, and also attributed the failure 

 of new pastures after three or four years to the fact that rye-grass, 

 which formed the principal bulk of the mixtures employed, is a short- 

 lived grass. Dr. Fream, on the contrary, adduces the universal 

 presence of rye-grass in old grass lands, frequently forming a large 

 percentage of the whole, as evidence of its value, and also asserts 

 that its persistence in an old pasture proves it to be perennial. Its 

 presence is, however, no proof of value as a food material, but argues 

 against it, if the grass is short-lived ; for then it could only persist if 

 allowed to seed, and this it could not do if eaten down by stock. A 



