THE SELECTION OF GRASSES AND CLOVERS. 57 



liusbanclry in tlie company of other strong-growing grasses, sncli 

 as Cocksfoot, Perennial Kye Grass, and Timotliy, my father has 

 always objected, to its nse in permanent pastures, even during 

 the years when the contrary custom prevailed. His views are 

 now admitted to be sound, and I cannot conceive of any cir- 

 cumstances which would warrant the use of Italian Rye Grass 

 in forming a permanent pasture. 



With singular inconsistency, some writers who disapprove 

 the use of Italian Rye Grass in a mixture of permanent grasses, 

 advocate its employment for renovating an old pasture. A more 

 illogical proposition has never been made, for when the brief 

 existence of the Italian R3'e Grass terminates, the pasture will be 

 left in a worse state than before. 



There is a prejudice against this grass because it severely 

 taxes the soil, and it is quite true that Italian Rye Grass will 

 appropriate all the nourishment it can get. But that is an argu- 

 ment in its favour. It means that the plant is a powerful agent 

 in extracting material from tlie soil, which it yields up in valuable 

 food for cattle. Given the desire of obtaininsf from an aci-e of 

 liberally fed land the largest possible produce within twelve 

 months, and Italian Rye Grass has no equal for fulfilling tlie 

 condition. 



Another prejudice is that Italian Rye Grass is a bad pre- 

 paration for wheat. On that point Mr. Dickinson's own words 

 can be quoted : ' Thirty sheep may be kept upon Italian Rye 

 Grass, fed through hurdles, upon as little land as ten can be kept 

 upon the common system upon common grass, and tlie finest 

 crops of wheat, barley, oats, and beans may be grown after the 

 Italian Rye Grass has been fed off the two years of its existence. 

 Wheat invariably follows tlie Italian, and splendid crops are 

 grown.' 



Again, it is objected that twitch is produced by Italian Rye 

 Grass. With pure seed this is impossible, but ])lenty of Italian 

 Rye Grass seed with twitch in it is freely l)ought and sold every 

 year. The remedy is in the buyer's own hands. But if twitch 



