:&amp;gt;4 Cultivation of Arable Land. Hay Grafs Nature of Soils proper for. 



Land may be laid down with it in a fuccefsful manner, if proper attention be 

 beftowed in having the feed collected when fully ripe, as it has been known to fail 

 on this account.* On the continent it is in high eftimation as a pafture grafs. \ 

 From the fibrous nature of its roots, not admitting the running down much into 

 the foil, there may be danger of its being deftroyed in dry fummer feafons. 



As ir abounds greatly in the bed paftures, and is a blade grafs that (hoots up the 

 fir ft after the hnd has been mown, its thicker! tufts are faid to afford much food 

 for fheep in the time of fnow and fevere weather in the winter feafon. Thofe who 

 nrc not accuftomcd to diftinguifh the difference of gnfles with much accuracy, 

 may, it is obferved, defpife it, as of an improper and ufelefs kind ; but the fheep 

 and the ox, who rnuft be allowed better judges, will foon convince them of its 

 importance. From the rapidity of its growth it may be apt to get coarfe, if not 

 cut down more quickly than is often the cafe. The feed is fmall and fine, but may 

 be obtained with much facility by paffing the ftem in a tight manner through the 

 hand. It has been procured at fixpence the quart. % 



Ray or Rye Grafs.^ This is a fort of grafs that has been much in cultivation, 

 but is deficient in fome of the properties neceffary for meadow or pafture lands. 

 The objection on the fcore of its producing little more than flower-ftems or bents, 

 is faid to be only found valid when it grows in upland paftures and dry fituations ; 

 in rich moift meadow its foliage is more abundant ; and it feems probable that it is 

 highly acceptable and nutritious in feeding cattle : its foliage is of rapid growth, 

 the flowering ftems continually mooting forth. ^[ It is, however, a grafs that 

 varies greatly, according to fituation and circumftances. 



It is beft adapted to the loamy and fandy defcriptions of foils ; but it will fuc- 

 ceed on any except ftiffclay, and even on that it may be grown. On the richer 

 forts of the two firft kinds of land, it frequently turns out both a good vernal and 

 permanent pafture grafs when employed in due mixture with other forts ; and 

 It is particularly fuited to be fed by iheep. It is not, however, fo early as fome 

 of the grafles that have been defcribed above. This grafs, Mr. Salifbury fays, 

 feems to chiefly afFect a loamy foil, is not very productive, but, being a ftrong 

 perennial, has been much recommended: it flowers about the time of the hard fefcue, 

 and is confidered good for fheep food ; and the butter made from paftures^ where it 

 grows is generally efteemed excellent. 



* Young in Communications, &c. vol. III. and Marshall s Rural Economy, 

 r Atti &amp;lt;li .Milano, vur. loc. J Goring in Communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. III. 

 Ij Lolium pcremie. fl Curtis s Obfervations. 



Young in Communications to the Board, &C., vol. III. 



