117 



The immense sward of the Dactylis abounding with leaf, 

 and rather soft stalks, must be corrected and improved by 

 the wiry stalks of the Rye Grass, superior in quality, but very 

 deficient in quantity ; a meadow from this mixture should he 

 mowed (comrniinibvs annis) about June 14th. 



A great benefit from this mixture would be found in the- 

 after-grass, the strong powers of regeneration possessed by 

 the Dactylis, would abundantly compensate for the languid ' 

 after-growth of the J?v/e Grass. 



The next mixture I suggest — Rye Grass with Ahpecurus pra- 

 tensis — is founded nearly on the same principles, the Foxtail 

 flowers eleven days before the Kye Grass; but its stalks bear 

 so small a proportion to its leafy sward, that there will be 

 little loss in keeping it waiting until the other comes to full 

 perfection, and the extreme softness of the leafy produce of 

 the Foxtail, will be better corrected by suffering the Rye Grass 

 stalks to become harder; 1 therefore would not mow this 

 meadow until June 21st. 



The same reasons hold as in the former ca«e, Avith respect 

 to after-grass.; I can devise no other mode of making the soft, 

 though luxuriant,- sward of my quondam favourite Foxtail 

 into hay that would be fit for use. 



In the next mixture that occurs to me. Rye Gr'ass with Fes- 

 tuca pratensis, the periods of inflorescence differ still more, the 

 Festuca being about 16 days later than the other, but the 

 coarseness of this grass making it necessary to cut it as soon 

 as the flower appears, and as it is then, of course, rather 



soft, 



