WHAT HAVE BEEN SOWN IN GREAT BRITAIN. 201 



situations and at ditt'erent stages of its growth. The grasses have 

 a great deal in common, and to a beginner all look alike. 



Even for a pretty good botanist, there is no denying the fact 

 that it is quite a task to learn to recognize our common grasses. 

 Still, it is no more difficult than to match horses well, to judge 

 the weight of a hog, or to pick out a good cow by her general 

 appearance. The grasses have small flowers, and these are likely 

 to pass unobserved, while the animals referred to, by daily asso- 

 ciation soon become familiar. 



What Have Been Sown in (xreat Britain. — The following 

 grasses and clovers have b:;en recommended in various mixtures 

 for meadows and pastures. In this connection, also, we give 

 the number of pounds to the bushel and the number of seeds to 

 the ounce. Most of the leading seedsmen advertise and recom- 

 mend a different selection of grasses for each geological forma- 

 tions ; one for the London clay ; one for the Upper Cretaceous ; 

 one for the lower; one for the Oolite; one for the Oxford Clay; 

 one for the Lias ; others for the New Red Sandstone, Carboniferous 

 Limestone, Coal Measures, Old Eed Sandstone, Upper Silurian, 

 Lower Silurian. Lists are made out for rich loams, poor stiff 

 clay, light soil ; for one year, two years, three years, and for per- 

 manent pasture and meadow. Many species are used over and 

 over in different mixtures but in varying proportions. For ten to 

 thirty or more species are usually named for each mixture. 



The writer quite agrees with James Hunter, an English seeds- 

 man, Avho says: ''Although much has been said about 'geolog- 

 ical formations ' in connection with the grasses, this has really 

 a very unimportant bearing upon the subject, and it is more 

 likely to lead to confusion than otlierwise. Four-fifths of those 

 desirable for jjermanent pasture will thrive upon all good soils. 

 •To ring the changes upon the twenty grasses and clovers through 

 some fifty different geological formations, is nothing better than 



a piece oi pedantry. For all practical purposes, it is quite suf- 

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