252 HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS, 



valuable a state of pasture as before, if not to a superior state, 

 and that in the space of four years. The means for effecting this, 

 however, have not yet been sufficiently within the power of the 

 Agriculturist. It is required that a more general knowledge of 

 the different grasses, and of the importance, or rather absolute 

 necessity, of a combination of many different grasses, instead of 

 two or three different species, to form permanent pasture, in 

 a short space of time, equal to the best formed by nature, 

 shall be generally diffused among practical Farmers : and also 

 that the mode shall be adopted of raising and obtaining the 

 seeds of the valuable and essential permanent pasture grasses, 

 from the Farmer's own farm.* The manner of obtaining an 

 unfailing supply of the seeds of the essential permanent pasture 

 grasses, at a trifling expense, from the Farmer's own farm, was 

 before mentioned (pages 32 39), but I may be permitted to 

 revert again to a subject so important. By the help of the 

 figures, and the botanical discriminating characters of the dif- 

 ferent species of grasses given in this work, the Farmer may soon 

 furnish himself, from his best grass land, with the seeds of most 

 of the essential grasses, at least in sufficient quantity to form 

 a first plantation. Those species of grasses which are not on his 

 own farm, the seedsman, or a neighbour, may readily supply, in 

 quantity sufficient for the same purpose. These seeds being 

 obtained, a piece of good rich land should be selected, of a nature 

 intermediate as to moisture and dryness. It may be quite unne- 

 cessary to observe, that this soil must be perfectly clean, free from 

 all kinds of root-weeds and seed of annual weeds. The surface or 

 tilth cannot be made too fine, level, and consolidated, to receive 

 the seeds. The middle of May or the beginning of June are 

 favourable seasons for sowing the seed ; but should a naked 

 summer fallow be required, in order to bring the land to the 

 absolutely necessary state of tilth and cleanness now mentioned, 

 August, or from that time until the beginning of September, will 

 be found favourable seasons for sowing. The ground thus pre- 



* The labour of Messrs. Gibbs, Seedsmen to the Board of Agriculture, in 

 collecting the seeds of all the different grasses of the best quality, has not been 

 exceeded. I have also seen remarkably fine seed at Messrs. Cormack and Son's, 

 New Cross Nursery. At the same time it is clear, that unless an extensive and 

 regular demand be had for these seeds, the same as for those of rye-grass and 

 clover, the seeds of those grasses must be kept on sale rather as articles of curio- 

 sity than of utility and absolute necessity, and consequently their price uncertain. 



