CULTIVATION OF GRASSES. 229 



seeds have probably been scattered, and these grasses 

 are now found in those neighborhoods, among the natural 

 grasses of the meadows. A great advantage resulting 

 from sowing these seeds, as also of the orchard and tall 

 meadow-oat, is, that they are disseminated upon the farm, 

 and thus tend to augment the natural growth of herbage. 



7. Rye-grass, {Lolium perenne.) This is exten- 

 sively cultivated in Scotland, and in the north of Eng- 

 land, and forms the principal seed sown with clover. 

 There are several varieties ; some of which are annual, 

 and others biennial and perennial. The Italian rye-grass 

 has within a few years attracted notice, as being superior 

 to the other kinds. The common kinds have been re- 

 peatedly tried in the United States, but generally with 

 poor success — our summers being too dry, and our win- 

 ters too cold for it. We have also twice tried the Italian 

 variety, but the result has induced us to abandon it, as 

 unsuited to our climate. To those who wish to try the 

 rye-grass, it will be proper to add, on the authority of 

 Dickson and others, that it is a good pasture grass, and 

 is valuable in rich moist meadows ; that cows and sheep 

 eat it freely ; and that Arthur Young considers the orchard- 

 grass superior to it. The biennial rye-grass is preferred 

 for a first crop with clover, as being of larger growth, 

 and better suited to alternate husbandry. The perennial 

 is preferred for grounds that are to be left longer in grass, 

 as it abides several years. The Italian variety gives the 

 largest produce, and, were it hardy enough to withstand 

 the cold of our winters, would no doubt become a valua- 

 ble acquisition to our husbandry. 



The seed sells in the American shops at three to four 

 dollars a bushel. On the whole, we do not recommend 

 its culture, except in elevated or humid districts. 



We have enumerated, we believe, all the grasses, that 

 have hitherto been cultivated in the United States to any 

 considerable extent. There are many other species, in- 

 digenous and foreign, which might be worthy of our no- 

 tice, and which may yet form valuable accessions in our 

 husbandry, whenever they shall be brought into notice, 

 cultivated, and their merits determined, in experimental 

 20 XV. 



