1«0 PERfiNNTAT. RYE OR RAY-GRASS, DARNEL. 



some of tlio main reasons why rye -grass lias been so popnlar. 

 Eye- grass was one of the first if not the first grass (>ver ciilti- 

 vatoil in Crreai l^ritain, as l<nig ago as 1(!77, nearly 100 years 

 before the cultivation of Timothy or orchard grass. 



Owing to this lojig cultivation, nnder varying conditions of 

 soil and clinnite, as we slnnild expect, tlu^ grass has broken u]) into 

 many varieties, which are more or less pernnment and well 

 nuirked, 



As early as lS'i3, one experimenter pointed out sixty varieties. 

 A few of these became permanent enough to reproduce them- 

 selves quite true from seed. Soon after this, a few of these races 

 VL rye-grass became quite noted x.nder various names^ such as 

 '^Paccy's/' "Kussell's," •• Whitworlh's." "Dixon's." and 

 now several English seedsmen claim extra varieties and name 

 them after some member of their firm. 



Mr. LawLS writes: "It stands at the head of the list as to 

 the quantity in culm. It is obviously a }»lant of I'clatively weak 

 h:d)it. It did not fiourish where ammonia-salts were used, but 

 where nitrogen was supplied as nitrate of soda, it was much luore 

 able to nuiintaiu some, though still a rather low position in the 

 strnggle."' 



Only "^5 to "'"' ponnds of seed are required to sow an acre. This 

 grass is ofteu ;ecommended for a hiwn. but owing io its short 

 life in most places, it is by no means ada])tcd for that jjurpose. 



Pye-grass has been quite extensively tested in various portions 

 of the older States. It is emphatically a lover of rich land and 

 a moist climate, without very great heat. In nnuiy i)ortions of 

 the interior of onr country; subject to gi'eat extremes, this grass 

 has not proved of much value. It is not Avell suited to the 

 Southern States, especially the dryest port ions, rurlher remarks 

 conceining this grass may be found on a later page of this 

 volume. 



