NOTES AND NEWS. é 25 
was sown with Whitworth Rye-grass and Clover, the former pre 
dominating. In 1819, the first season of grass, the land kept some 
ewes and lambs until the 1st of May, when it was shut up for mowing. 
The produce of hay was 54 good waggon-loads, but 30 acres were 
- allowed to stand for seed, the produce being from two to three 
quarters per acre. The pasture was laid in for about four weeks, 
then stocked with 500 lambs, which it kept for seven weeks, and 
afterwards kept 160 lambs, with the help of a little hay given 
occasionally through the winter, until the beginning of April, when 
300 ewes and lambs were put in and did well through the spring 
months.’ The serious objection to this variety of Rye-grass which 
unfits it for alternate husbandry is its tenacity of life. As there is 
no distinguishing it from the less permanent varieties by its seeds, 
mistakes might occur. Two or even three ploughings were necessary 
to overcome it, or otherwise the roots took up the nourishment of 
the soil, like Couch, to the great injury to the following wheat crop. 
The habit of Whitworth Rye-grass indicates an origin from highly 
situated though rich land. There can be no doubt he discovered it 
in his own immediate neighbourhood. He used to carry about with 
him .wherever he went, an . he had invented, made like 
a gigantic gun wad punch. When he came across a specimen of grass. 
he wished to transplant for study, drawing the foliage through the 
barrel out of harm’s way, he punched out a circular sod, as a cheese- 
monger does with his cheese. On getting home he cut out a similar 
sod with his tool from his lawn and inserted the new one, which of 
course fitted perfectly. In this way by the year 1823 his collection 
of varieties of Lolium perenne L., amounted to the surprising 
number of 60; so he ought to have been a fair judge of the merits 
of the one called after him. 
Neither the Whitworth Rye Grass, nor 77ifolium ser nor 
the true Z. perenne of Sinclair are to be bought in the m 
for permanent pastures. Why is this? Do our wide ‘iekchidiie 
work by rule of thumb, or is it they cannot see any further than the 
end of their noses, and so follow one another like a flock of sheep? 
NOTES AND NEWS. 
a pleasure to note that the ag ge vongoh a the Manchester Geological 
Society is now occupied by so worthy a member k Stirrup, F.G.S., 
from whom we have received a repri 
oth of November last. becomes one whose ction with the Society has 
been officially so intimate, the subject of the address is ‘ The ly History of the 
Manchester Geol ith some Remarks on lative ogy. 
e history of tha Rockets is of interest, as it dates back its existence to 1838, and 
only yields preceden Geo lytechnic Society, 
which was established in 1837; an h Societies, so nearly coeval, have 
good work ever since for Geology in og 3 "North of England. 
January 1897, 
