115 



these paltiy intruders, and give an antecedent possession to 

 more esteemed grasses, by carefully sowing their seed. 



The grasses that seem most forward to occupy and clothe 

 our surface, I invariably find to be, the Poa trk'mlis, and the- 

 Foa annua ; the Agrostis stolonifera (our Fiorin) no doubt points ■ 

 up diminutive shoots before either of tifem, and already 

 (January 20th.) they are beginning to appear ; but this grass is- 

 of itself utterly unable to contend for possession without the 

 aid of Man, or some process lik« irrigation, injurious to its 

 competitors; without these it barely preserves its existence. 



Tlie Anthoxanthum appears to come next, then the Cyno-- 

 surus cristatus, the LoUium perenne (Rye Grass) seems the most 

 obtrusive of our valuable grasses, and appears in abun- 

 dance ; but even when we attempt to give Rye Grass exclusive 

 possession, by sowing its seed, it forms a very poor sole, 

 while the Holcus lanatus and Dactylis ghmerata rising in strong 

 solitary tufts rather disturb than improve the sole. 



Thus we find that the four grasses most likely to obtrude 

 themselves, are the very four which I have assigned my rea- 

 sons for condemning; yet notwithstanding their want of 

 value, and the certainty that we shall have them, whether we 

 sow them or not; some, or most of them are found in every 

 mixture I meet with recommended to farmers in agricultural 

 books. 



The agriculturist must now determine for himself, whether 

 he will lay down his ground with one favourite grass ex- 

 clusively ; 



