48 BRITISH GRASSES. 



renew sward on lands that had been ploughed up arose, 

 not from the length of time that the grass plants require 

 to arrive at perfection, nor from any injury inflicted on 

 the land by a course of grain crops, but from neglect in 

 employing the seeds of grasses natural to the soil, and 

 which constituted the turf before it was broken up. 

 After much observation and reflection, he was confirmed 

 in his original conviction, that the aim of human art in 

 agriculture is to assist nature, and, carefully observing 

 her operations, to work in furtherance of them. There- 

 fore, he devoted himself to the constant watching of the 

 habits of the grasses, and he found that from the begin- 

 ning of spring until winter set in, there was no time 

 when one or other species of grass was not in its most 

 perfect state,— some containing more nutriment before 

 the production of the flowers, some being of most value 

 in the flowering season, some when in seed, and many 

 owing their chief excellence to their aftermath. Also, he 

 found that dry weather favoured the growth of some, and 

 moisture that of others; and hence he learned to adapt 

 different species to different soils, and to combine what 

 may be called a succession of grasses to form permanent 

 pasture. In this style of pasture he eschewed any admix- 

 ture of annual grasses, or of leaved clover, and particu- 

 larly warned his followers against turning sheep in upon 

 the young grass before it had got well rooted. Messrs. 

 Wheeler, of Gloucester, following faithfully in the esti- 

 mable steps of Mr. Sinclair, have, with the aid of Pro- 

 fessor Ramsay, prepared lists of grasses suitable to the 

 various geological formations of Great Britain. They 

 say, in their book on grasses : — " In old pastures nature 

 is a true index for us to the grasses indigenous to the 

 soil ; and, by careful examination, we find the grasses, 



