THE SELECTION OF GRASSES AND CLOVERS. 55 



was especially noticeable that the nitrate produced an innnense 

 amount of root -fibre as well as leafy herbage. And it is in- 

 terestino; to find that at Rothamstead, after decreasinir for three 

 years, Rye Grass then slightly increased in proportion to the 

 other surroundin<? grasses. The ammonia salts which proved so 

 powerful a stimulant to some of the coarser grasses did not 

 benefit Perennial Eye Grass sufficiently to enable it to hold its 

 position against them. Only on the nitrate plots did it keep its 

 place. 



The botanical description and chemical analysis of Sutton's 

 Perennial Eye Grass are given on page 152, facing an illustration. 



Lolium italicum {Italian Bye Grass). — I would preclude 

 the possibility of a misunderstanding by saying at once that this 

 grass is only under consideration here in its proper connection 

 with alternate husbandry. In a permanent pasture it is distinctly 

 harmful, and the seed should never be included in a prescription 

 for that purpose. Italian Eye Grass was probably first cultivated 

 in Lombard}^ and spread from thence through Europe. It was 

 introduced into England in 1831 by the late Mr. Charles Lawson, 

 of Edinburgh, an old friend of my father's. At first Mr. Lawson 

 imported it from Hamburg, but a few j^ears later he was able to 

 obtain it from Leghorn. The experiments made with Italian Eye 

 Grass by the late Mr. William Dickinson resulted in crops which 

 were then considered marvellous, and for many years his name 

 was prominently associated with it. His system of irrigation 

 with hqiiid manure no doubt suggested the idea of sewage treat- 

 ment, and it is not too much to say that without Italian Eye 

 Grass sewage farms could never have been carried on. There 

 is no other green crop which can be substituted for it, or which 

 will yield an equal amount of herbage. 



There are considerable variations in the character, pro- 

 ductiveness, and longevity of the several strains of this plant ; 

 still, roughly speaking, they are all biennial. The seed which is 

 imported from the Continent yields a very heavy crop, but is so 



