119 



perties which give value to a grass, are no I Lo be fouud in a superior degree in any sin-^le -^ras- 

 Indeed, if such was the case, it would seem singular that Nature, for the same purpose,''finds ' 

 it necessary to employ so many. 



If a selection of grasses were made, with a view to early flowering only (presuming that this 

 property constituted the chief value of a grass), it will be found, that a combination of equal 

 proportions of sweet vernal-grass, ( AntlioxantMm odoratmn); sweet soft-o-rass CHolc I ■ 

 tus); soft brome-grass, (Bromus mollis); annual meadow-grass, (Poa annua); and mldow 

 fox-tail grass, (Alopecurus pratcnsis) ; will produce a crop ripe to mow in the second week of 

 May, on a soil of the best quality, these grasses being. then in flower ; but the produce will be 

 found very inferior: the nutritive matter from the whole crop beino- only 367 lbs 



A combination of the smooth-stalked meadow-grass, (Poapratensis); rough-stalked meadow- 

 grass, (Pou trivkdis); hard fescue, (Festuca duriuscula); common quakins'-oTass rR,-; 

 media); darnel-hke fescue-grass, (Festuca loliacea); long-aM-ned sheep's-fescue, (Festuca ovina 

 hordiformis); and the Welsh-fescue, (Festuca Cambrica); will affbrd a crop reldy for mowino- 

 in the first week of June. The value of a crop, consisting of equal parts of these grasses is 



superior to the preceding, in the proportion nearly of 4 to 3; the nutritive matter afforded'by 

 the whole crop, being 4861bs. 



A combination of equal parts of the cock's-foot grass, (Dactylis glomerata); meadow-foscue 

 (Festuca pratensis) ; tall oat-like soft-grass, (Holcus avenaceus); perennial rye-grass (Lolium 

 percnne); upright brome, (Bromus erectm); and field brome, (Bromus m-vensis) ; will produce 

 a crop fit to mow for hay in the third week of June. The value of this crop is superior to 

 that ripe in the first week of June, in the proportion neariy of 13 to 7 ; the weight of nutritive 

 matter from the produce of one acre being 844 lbs. 



A combination of cat's-tail, (PUeum prepense); yellow oat, (Avenajia^esccns); crested 

 dogs-tail, (CynosuTus cristatus); woolly soft-grass, (Holcus lanatus); wood meadow-ora.s 

 (Poanemorahs); meadow barley-grass, (Hordeum pratense) ; yellow vetchling, (Latl^rus prL 

 /.«mj; many-flowered brome-grass, r-Bro»^«,,,^„/^/^o;-„,J; and the lesser variety of the mea- 

 dow cat's-tail, (Phleum pratense, var. mhius); will aff-ord a crop ready for reaping in the second 

 or third week of July. The weight of nutritive , matter afforded by this crop, exceeds that of 

 the preceding in the proportion nearly of 7 to 6; the quantity contained ' in the produce of one 

 acre being about 1008 lbs. - 



The first of these selections, though producing the eariiest crop, is, nevertheless, much less 

 valuable than any of the others; for, with the addition of the after-grass that would be pro- 

 duced m the extra length of time which the others require to come to maturity, the produce 

 would still be very inferior. . i 



A grass which produces an abundance of eariy foliage, and that does not put fortli its i\ow- 

 t^raig culm^ till the beginning of June, can be fod off till a late period of the spring without 

 ^njmy to the crop of hay, which, with a grass that pushes up its flowering culms eariy in the 



spring, cannot be practised without dninn- ^^ • j 1 1 • • i i ti • 



, ° r " wiuioui doing considerable injury to the hay crop. This property, 



UFetore, of producing early foliage, and flowering late, must be more particulariy valuable 



under circumstances where a breeding flock of sheep is kept The grasses which are more dis- 



-nguished iQ this respect, are the ^o^H^-ioot, (Daety Us glomerata); meadow cat's-tail, rP/.fe./. 



ense); nerved meadow-grass, (Poa nervata); and the wood meadow-grass, (Poa nemoralis). 



