CuEL. — On Grasses. 347 



scientist, as he knows tliat whenever a plant is growing in an unhealthy 

 condition, it is liable to the attacks of disease, and becomes the host and 

 supporter of parasites. 



In experimenting with grasses and fodder plants, it is therefore necessary 

 not only to introduce them from distant countries where they are in- 

 digenous, and acclimatize them, but, after they are acclimatized, to grow 

 them upon various kinds of soil, and under different conditions ; the soil of 

 the experimental beds must represent these soils and conditions, or the 

 experiments are worthless. The soils must vary between a light sandy 

 mould, sandy loam, stiff loam, friable clay, stiff clay, calcareous sands and 

 marl, and must be drained and undrained. The experiments must be 

 carried on during summer and winter, and the resulting herbage must be 

 weighed, measured, and chemically analyzed during the first three years of 

 the experiments, and then fed off by live stock pastured thereon for definite 

 periods, according to the results desired to be tested, and this for not less 

 than three years, as the first year's feeding power is often different from the 

 subsequent second, and third years. The grasses have after this to be 

 allowed to seed, and this seed then to be sown with twelve or more vigorous 

 grasses and clovers, and if these do not smother them they are able to take 

 their places among grasses for ijermanent ■pastures. If they do not stand 

 this test then' merits are known, and they can be placed in the position 

 they ought to hold as fodder or temporary grasses. 



For these and many other reasons I find it very difficult to predict what 

 any grass will really be until actual experiment in growth and testing has 

 revealed its qualities. Amongst the hundreds of grasses I have grown from 

 many parts of the world, I am never able to say with certainty, until after 

 years of continued experiment, what a grass will be worth in permanent or 

 temporary pasture ; some that are very poor for the first few years improve 

 with each year after they have been planted out permanently among the 

 mixed grasses and grazed over, whilst others cannot stand against more 

 vigorous grasses, or the grazing an4 trampling of stock, or they are not 

 able to send their roots far enough for them to obtam a fresh supply of 

 elements, after they have been located some time in the pastures. 



Thus the so-called perennial rye will bear feeding down for two, three, 

 or four years, according to the seed or choice of soil and amount of stocking, 

 and then will lose its normal chemical elements and get weaker and 

 diseased until it will die out, and be replaced after a few years — more or 

 less — according to chcumstances, by Holcus lanatus, or by weeds, or if the 

 ground is undi'ained when it dies out, rushes will take its place, or as it 

 requires for its healthy growth lime and ijotash salts, sheep feeding it off 

 constantly will gradually remove in their wool and bones these elements ; 



