APPENDIX E,—INDIGENOUS GRASSES OF BRITAIN. 203 
If equal parts of Lucerne and Festuca rubra were sown in such a 
soil, it might ensure a tolerable pasture through the whole season. 
4. For early pasture. 
No husbandman should neglect to lay out some part of his ground 
for early pasture, the want of which is so often the subject of com- 
plaint among farmers in this country. 
In a poor soil, with no immediate prospect of subjecting the land 
to tillage, for a rotation of crops, equal parts of 
Sesleria cerulea, Blue hair grass, and 
Anthoxanthum odoratum, Sweet scented vernal grass, will insure 
a permanent pasture. 
If the situation be much elevated, a portion of the Poa alpina 
may be taken with the Anthoxanthum. 
If the soil be good, and not too high, take 
Alopecurus pratensis, two parts. 
Anthoxanthum odoratum, one part. 
This would afford an early and excellent pasture, or a hay crop, 
if more desireable. 
Sect. IV. 
On ProcuriING THE SEEDS OF THE GRASSES. 
The greater part of writers on the Gramina, have contented 
themselves with recommending certain plants as fit for the purposes 
of agriculture: But it should be remembered that the cultivators of 
land are, for the most part, very ill qualified to discriminate the 
species of the grasses; much less can they spare time to go in 
search of them. It is not then to be wondered at, that so few 
attempts have been made to cultivate the various indigenous 
grasses. Yet it is certain, that at present, when such a spirit of 
inquiry is awake, many gentlemen, and others eager for improve- 
ment, would gladly take the trouble of making trials, more or less in 
this way, if the means of doing so were at hand. Were this kind of 
culture once set on foot, we might reasonably hope to see much of 
our sterile and waste land (unfit for other crops) converted into 
profitable pasture. 
The vast importance of opening this new track to the view of the 
improver of land, must be sufficiently obvious. The grand obstacle 
that stands in his way, is the difficulty of obtaining the seeds of the 
