HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 217 



early and late growth, in an eminent degree.*" These varieties 

 of rye-grass are a valuable acquisition to the Farmer ; and more 

 particularly, should those characters, which now render them so 

 valuable, prove permanent after experiencing the various trying 

 effects of different changes of soil and situation under long culti- 

 vation. The habit of the Whitworth's rye-grass indicates an origin 

 from higher situated though rich land ; while the habits of the 

 Russell and Stickney rye-grasses indicate an origin from a less ele- 

 vated though equally rich land. It is more than probable that, 

 should attention be paid to have the seeds of those grasses always 

 supplied from their respective original soils, or from analogous soils, 

 th^t the valuable properties they now possess may be perpetuated. 

 Besides those varieties, there have been cultivated and submitted to 

 careful experiment in the grass-garden at Woburn Abbey, fifteen 

 apparently distinct varieties. The greater number of these have 

 not stood the test of reproduction from seed, but have merged into 

 one or other of the above-mentioned varieties. Mr. Neill, of Mans- 

 field, communicated six varieties of rye-grass, one of which proved 

 identical with Stickney 's grass, and another proved to be the same 

 with the Russell rye-grass. Mr. Neill had first collected the seeds 

 of these from rich pastures, and by afterwards cultivating them in 

 his garden obtained seed sufficient for farm practice. 



Rye-grass, when not more than three years old, flowers in the 

 second week of June, and ripens the seed in about twenty-five 

 days after ; as the plants become older they flower much later, 

 sometimes so late as the beginning of August. 



* For the following statements of the produce of the Whitworth rye-grass I am 

 indebted to Mr. G. Whitworth. " About 80 acres of rather thin poor ivokl-l&nd 

 incumbent on chalk, was sown with the Whitworth rye-grass and clover, the 

 former predominant. In 1819, the first season of grass, the land kept some ewes 

 and lambs until the 1st of May, when it was shut up for mowing. The produce 

 of hay was 54 good waggon-loads, but 30 acres were allowed to stand for seed, the 

 produce of seed from two to three quarters per acre. The pasture was laid in for 

 about four weeks, then stocked with 500 lambs, which it kept for seven weeks, and 

 afterwards kept 160 lambs, with the help of a little hay given occasionally through 

 the winter, and until the beginning of April, when 300 ewes and lambs were put in 

 and did well through the spring months. 



To the serious objections to rye-grass as a precursor to wheat, Mr. Whitworth 

 says that his variety of rye-grass is so tenacious of life, that two or even three 

 ploughings are necessary to overcome the grass, otherwise the roots of the grass will 

 take up the nourishment of the soil, to the great injury of the wheat-crop. 



