54 CHAPTER 5. 



Dandelioub grow on good soil, but their presence shows that the laud 

 has not been kept clean. 



Sorrel grows on light soils. It gives a subacid taste to hay. A small 

 quantity is not objectionable. 



The Rib Plantain {Fluntuyo lanceoJata) is a common weed, growing on 

 all soils. It is not objectionable in hay. No. 28. 



Hard or Black heads, othenvise called Knapweed (Centaurea iiiyra), 

 are coarse, tough, and quite indigestible. Ko. 29. 



Rattle (Rhiiuuithus crista-yaUi) grows on poor land. Its abundance in 

 any sample of hay is a sure sign of poor land, though a very little is 

 sometimes found on good soils. It is a great nuisance to the farmer. 

 No. 30. 



Common Bank Sedge {Cartr lipariu), if large, indicates very inferior 

 wet soil. Its presence should cause any sample to be rejected. Smaller 

 varieties, some xQrx small, are, however, found on poor upland soils. 

 No. 31. 



Smaller forms of sedge are sometimes found on upland, and are not 

 injurious, though indicating poor soil. 



The Wood-rush (Luzula canijJtstris) is veij common on upland soils. 

 Its presence in any considerable quantity indicates an inferior quality of 

 hay. No. 32. 



Cat's-ear (Hi/pochceris radicata) is motjt objectionable. It has a bitter 

 taste, which will c<\use horses to reject the whole lot of hay, so much do 

 they dislike it. It has a flower somewhat like the dandelion. No. 33. 



Silvenveed or Goose-grass (Potent ilia anserina) is found on clayey 

 sands. No. 34:. 



Coltsfoot {Tussilayo farfara) abounds in all moist chalky soils and 

 clays. No. 35. 



93. Of the time of cuttituj hatj and saviny hay. 



Hay may be composed only of the best grasses and herbage, and yet 

 may be inferior or bad, because — 



1st. It may have been cut too late : or — 

 2nd. It may have been badly saved. 



94. Of late-oit hay. 



This is a very common evil. The farmer often delays to cut in the 

 hope of obtaining a greater bulk of under grass. This is especially apt 

 to be the case in dry seasons ; or, on the other hand, the crop in wei 

 seasons may be left to stand over-long in the hope of finer weather. 



The crop should be cut before the grasses have run to seed. The 

 permanent grasses flower and seed every year. In common with sill such 

 plants, the nutriment of the plant passes into the seed for the reproduc- 

 tion of its kind in the succeeding year. 



We all recognise the eft'ect of seeding on the stem or straw of corn. 

 The straw is almost worthless for feeding, because the nutriment of the 

 plant has passed into the seed. This is also to a great degree the case 



