GRASSES. W5 



minaceous and leguminous (grasses and clovers) plants ; this 

 mixture depending upon the soil. In good loams, where 

 sand and clay are well proportioned, grasses may be grown 

 of a highly nutritious character, such as Alopecurus praten- 

 sis (Meadow foxtail) Phleum pratensis (Timothy or cats- 

 tail) Dactylis glonierata (cocksfoot). These are grasses 

 which produce liberally, and to them we may add Anthox- 

 anthum odoratum (sweet-smelling vernal grass), which will 

 give flavour to the hay Poa pratensis (meadow grass) 

 Perennial rye grass and Common Red and Dutch clovers. 

 For lands varying from rich loams as above to poor stiff 

 clays, the quantities of the grasses we have named may be 

 increased rather than the addition of new kinds ; if these 

 are supplied, Poa trivialis (rough meadow grass), and Fes- 

 tuca loliacea (lolium fescue) will be useful ; the quantity of 

 the rye grass and the common clover being increased, and 

 that of the more nutritive grasses diminished. Where thin 

 soils or limestone are met with not well suited for or de- 

 sirable to be made into permanent pasture Festuca ovina 

 (sheep's fescue) may be introduced, as also a small quantity 

 of Avena flavescens (yellow oat grass), and Avena pubescens 

 (soft or downy oat grass); and ki addition to the common 

 and the Dutch clover, Achillea millifolia (yarrow) and the 

 common vetchling may be sown. For sandy soils, which 

 are seldom adapted for permanent pastures, the rich nutri- 

 tive grasses may be left out altogether, large quantities of 

 common rye grass, smooth meadow, and hard fescue grass 

 being used, together with smaller quantities of sweet vernal 

 and soft oat grasses clovers in greater variety than named 

 above should be used, the " zig-zag " being chiefly used 

 this being natural to sandy soils, and bird's foot, trefoil, and 

 yarrow. In producing permanent pastures, the next point 

 for consideration is, whether they are to be found with or 

 without a crop, that is, grown in conjunction with some 

 crop used in arable husbandry, as oats, or grown without a 

 crop. Much will depend upon the locality, soil, and cli- 

 mate, for, as Professor Coleman well points out, in some 

 districts the young seeds if sown alone would be scorched 



