210 THE RYEGRASS CROP. 



already in cultivation. Its spring growth, for which rye- 

 grass is so valued, was late and deficient ; and although 

 it was found to stand well at the end of the season, it was 

 not so permanent in duration. 



Whitworttis is the name given to a variety of ryegrass 

 selected by Mr. Whitworth, of Acre House, from an expe- 

 rimental collection of about 60 varieties of perennial rye- 

 grasses, as being the one possessed to the greatest degree 

 of the qualities of growth and produce most desirable in 

 the plant for general forage purposes. In the " experi- 

 mental grass garden " at Woburn this variety was found 

 fully superior to Russell's, and was then called the 

 " stoloniferous " ryegrass, as surpassing all others in the 

 number and vigour of its barren or leafy root-stems, a 

 characteristic of permanence in duration exemplified in 

 its suitability for permanent pasture in the most ungenial, 

 cold, and wet soils. It has the character of possessing in 

 an eminent degree the properties of early and of late 

 growth, and to be of such a perennial nature, or so tena- 

 cious of life, that the ground requires two or three 

 ploughings to overcome its vivacity, so as to prevent it 

 injuring the succeeding crop. Its foliage and general 

 growth are remarkably fine, which renders it suitable as 

 a mixture for sowing pleasure-grounds. 



The above, says Mr. Lawson, from whose "Synopsis" 1 the 

 descriptions given are chiefly derived, are the most 

 esteemed varieties of Lolium perenne; but there are 

 many more of inferior importance, as the Holstein, 

 Broad-spiked, &c., and possessing less permanent charac- 

 ters. Those of the most perennial habits, which are dis- 

 tinguished by their yielding a greater abundance of root- 

 leaves and fewer" stalks and stems, are denominated 

 perennial; and those of shorter duration, which generally 



1 The details of the experimental trials at Woburn are all given in Sinclair's 

 Ilortus Gramineus Woburnensis. 



