GRASSES. 



similarly-circumstanced pastures for 

 a part of the seed ; and to mix with 

 these what are considered the very 

 best kinds. 



" The most important feature in 

 the culture of pasture grasses is mix- 

 ture of sorts. The husbandman who 

 clothes his fields only with rye-grass 

 and clover, employs a limited ma- 

 chinery, the former being unproduc- 

 tive in summer, the latter moderate- 

 ly so in spring ; but when he, for this 

 purpose, uses a variety of plants dif- 

 fering in their habits of growth and 

 periods of luxuriance, a numerous 

 and powerful machmery is kept suc- 

 cessively in full operation. 



"The effect of a mixture of grasses 

 may be accounted for from some spe- 

 cies putting forth their foliage, and 

 reaching a maximum of produce at | 

 different periods from other kinds, i 

 From some being gregarious or so- | 

 cial, and others solitary, and never j 

 producing a close turf, by sowing 

 seeds of several species together, 

 which are dissimilar in their habits 

 of growth, and arrive at a maximum 

 of produce at different periods of sum- 

 mer and autumn, there is secured 

 throughout the season a succession 

 of fresh herbage, rendered, by the 

 erect and creeping foliage of the dif- 

 ferent species, so dense and abun- 

 dant as greatly to surpass in quanti- 

 ty that obtained from the cultivation 

 of two or three kinds only. 



"New and excellent varieties of 

 many of the grasses, especially those 

 used or fit to be used in the ccm- 

 vertible husbandry, might, no doubt, 

 be obtained by selection and cross- 

 breeding, and it is much to be wished 

 that this were attempted by cultiva- 

 tors. 



" Tall or Hay Grasses of temporary 

 Duration. — The most valuable of this 

 division are the biennial, or, as it is 

 commonly but erroneously called, the 

 annual, perennial, and subperennial 

 rye grass (a), the cocksfoot grass (6), 

 and woolly soft grass (c). Where a 

 crop of hay is desired within the 

 year, it is necessary to resort to such 

 grasses as are annuals in the strict 

 sense of the word ; and none can be 



Fig. I. 



Most valuable temporary bay grasses. 



better for this purpose than the com 

 mon oat. Arena sativa, cut and made 

 into hay when it comes into flower. 

 Next in order may be mentioned the 

 other cereal grasses and the annual 

 varieties of Bromus ; the latter, how- 

 ever, are very coarse grasses, though 

 proHfic in culm. 



"The biennial rye grass, Lolium 

 perenne var. bienne, is well known as 

 being universally sown, either with 

 or without clover, among grain crops, 

 with a view to one crop of hay in the 

 succeedingseason. It attains a great- 

 er height, and produces a longer, 

 broader spike of flowers than the per- 

 ennial rye grass, and the produce in 

 hay is considered greater than that of 

 any other annual grass equally pal- 

 atable to cattle. It prefers a rich 

 loamy soil, but will grow on any sur- 

 face whatever, not rock or undecayed 

 bog. 



" The perennial rye grass (Lolium 

 perenne, Lin., and Loglio vivace, Ital.) 

 differs from the other in being of 

 I somewhat smaller growth, and in 

 i abiding for several years, according 

 to the variety and the soil and cul- 

 ture. Pacey's and Russell's varieties 

 of rye grass are most esteemed. 



"Many consider this grass coarse, 

 benty, and very exhausting to the 

 soil ; but after all the experiments 

 that have been made on the other 

 grasses, none have been found to 

 equal it for a course of mowing and 

 pasturing for two, throe, or seven 



335 



