GRASSES. 



years. It is sown in Italy, and es- 

 pecially in Loinbardy, anil also in 

 France and Germany, along with 

 clover, for the same jjurposes as in 

 this country ; and, as Von Tliaer has 

 remarked, though some have tried 

 other species, both in these countries 

 and in England, they have in the end 

 returned to rye grass. When intend- 

 ed as a pasture grass, if stocked hard, 

 and when for hay, if mown early, the 

 objections to it are removed. — (Code 

 of Afrricullure.) G. Sinclair says the 

 circumstance of its producing abun- 

 dance of seed, which is easily col- 

 lected, and vegetates freely on any 

 soil, its early perfection and abundant 

 herbage the first year, which is much 

 relished by cattle, are the merits 

 which have upheld it to the present 

 day, and will probably for some time 

 to come continue it a favourite grass 

 among farmers. But the latter-math 

 is inconsiderable ; the plant impov- 

 erishes the soil in a high degree if 

 not cut before the seed ripens. When 

 this is neglected, the field after mid- 

 summer exhibits only a brown sur- 

 face of withered straws. 



" The cocksfoot grass, orchard 

 grass {Dactylis glomerata, Linneus), 

 is an imperfect perennial, and grows 

 naturally on dry, sandy soils. This 

 grass may be known by its coarse 

 appearance, both of the leaf and spike, 

 and also by its whitish green hue. 



" One writer says he has cultiva- 

 ted it largely, and i^o his satisfaction, 

 on wet loams on a clay marl bottom, 

 upon which the finer grasses are apt 

 to give way in a few years to the in- 

 digenous produce. If sufTered to rise 

 high, it is very coarse ; but, fed close, 

 is a very valuable sheep pasture. He 

 has sown two bushels an acre, and 

 10 lbs. common red clover ; and when 

 the clover wears out, the grass fills 

 the lands and abides well in it. It 

 grows well in winter. It has been 

 found highly useful as an early sheep 

 feed. It is early, hardy, and pro- 

 ductive, but is a coarser plant than 

 rye grass, and requires even greater 

 attention in regard to being cut soon 

 or fed close. It does best by itself, 

 and the time of its ripening being dif- 

 336 



fercnt from that of clover, it does not 

 suit well to be mixed with that plant. 

 The pasturage it affords is luxuriant, 

 and particularly agreeable to sheep. 

 It is cultivated to a great extent, and 

 with astonishing success at Holkham. 

 The quantity of sheep kept upon it, 

 summer and winter, is quite surpri- 

 sing and the land becomes renova- 

 ted by lying two or three years under 

 this grass, and enriched by the ma- 

 nure derived from the sheep. A field 

 in the park at Woburn was laid down 

 in two equal parts, one part with rye 

 grass and while clover, and the other 

 part with cocksfoot and red clover ; 

 from the spring till midsummer the 

 sheep kept almost constantly on the 

 rye grass, but after that time they left 

 it, and adhered with equal constancy 

 to the cocksfoot during the remainder 

 of the season. In The Code of Agri- 

 culture (p. 497, 3d. edit.) it is staled, 

 that Sinclair of Woburn considers 

 ' no grass so well suited for all pur- 

 poses as cocksfoot.' 



" The woolly soft grass (Holcus la- 

 natus, Linneus) is an imperfect peren- 

 nial, and rather late flowering grass, 

 of a short, unsubstantial appearance, 

 and found chiefly in poor, dry soils. 

 It is, however, a very common grass, 

 and grows on all soils, from the rich- 

 est to the poorest. It affords abun- 

 dance of seed, which is light, and 

 easily dispersed by the wind. 



" It was cultivated at Woburn on 

 a strong clayey loam, and the propor- 

 tional value which the grass at the 

 time the seed is ripe bears to the 

 grass at the time of flowering is as 

 eleven to twelve. Young observes 

 of this grass, that it flourishes well 

 on any moist soil, and should be sown 

 chiefly with a view to sheep, for it is 

 not so good for other stock ; many 

 acres of it have been cultivated on 

 his farm for sheep, and it has answer- 

 ed well when kept close fed. 



" Tall or Hay Grasses of permanent 

 Duration. — No permanent grass has 

 been found equal to the rye grass for 

 the purposes of convertible husband- 

 ry, but others have been selected 

 which are considered superior for hay 

 meadows. The principal of these 



