Grass 



These results are distressingly inconsistent. When 

 oracles give out uncertain or directly contrary replies, 

 can one blame the practical man for paying no attention 

 whatever to their commands ? Yet it is essential to 

 the formation of a good pasture to have the best and 

 most nutritive grasses. 



III. Grasses vary very greatly indeed in the vigour 

 of their growth and the amount of hay produced. 

 Cocksfoot, for instance, has produced 27,905 lbs. per 

 acre on rich sandy loam, as well as an aftermath of 

 1 1,910 lbs. Perennial ryegrass gave 7827 lbs. per acre 

 (when dry 3390 lbs.); timothy has given 40,837 lbs. 

 (17,356 lbs. when dry); sweet vernal has given 7827 

 lbs. (2104 lbs. when dry); sheep's fescue has given 

 1280 lbs. (on poor soil. Burger). 



Here again there is a great deal of uncertainty, 

 for farmers would scarcely accept these conclusions. 

 Timothy can hardly produce more than five times as 

 much as the universal ryegrass. But there are experi- 

 ments (those at Clifton Park), conducted at great expense 

 by Mr. Robert Elliot,^ which also seem to shatter the 

 reputation of ryegrass, 



IV. Method oj Growth, — The ''tussock" form of growth 

 is very common, but to get a really good pasture, it is 

 necessary to have a proper admixture of those other 

 kinds which throw out runners, These break out of 

 the leaf-sheaths and produce, under or over the ground, 

 a network of creeping stems from which leafy shoots 

 spring up. Meadow-foxtail and smooth-stalked poa are 

 good examples of these turf-forming grasses. 



Then again some roots penetrate deep into the soil, 

 exhausting the deeper layers, whilst others are surface 

 feeders. Rough-stalked poa, e.g.., will scarcely go deeper 

 than 12 inches, whilst smooth-stalked poa will reach 

 16 inches, Sheep's fescue and sweet vernal are surface 



271 



