COMMON PASTURE GRASSES. 



that it is useless for temporary pastures. Both of these 

 disadvantages are due, not to the character of the grass, 

 but to the manner of treating it. Cocksfoot is very com- 

 monly sown at the rate of three or four pounds to the acre, 

 in a mixture containing 20 or 25 pounds 

 of Perennial Rye. It is no wonder 

 that the Cocksfoot grows in tufts. 

 If a sufficient seeding were applied it 

 would form a turf at least as good 

 as that provided by Perennial Rye. 

 The fact that Cocksfoot usually takes 

 two to three years to establish itself is 

 again due to the thin seeding of this 

 grass in a mixture. The Rye Grass 

 develops earlier in summer and runs to 

 seed. It thus becomes less palatable 

 and the sheep leave it and feed almost 

 exclusively on the Cocksfoot, worrying 

 the life out of the few scattered plants. 

 The wonder is that the Cocksfoot ever 

 becomes established. If it is sown 

 pure (or with Dogstail) at the rate of 

 14 or 15 pounds per acre, and grazed 

 in the least degree reasonably it will 

 estabhsh itself in the first season. It 

 is not intended by' these remarks to 

 advocate the sowing of Cocksfoot 

 pure, but to show that its chief 

 reputed disadvantages belong not to 

 the grass itself but to the method 

 of sowing it. This at least is true, that Cocksfoot is 

 used far too sparingly. Three or four pounds to the acre 

 leads to a waste of money — much more does the sowing 

 of one pound such as one often sees. About 10 to 12 



B A 



Fig. 2. — Cocksfoot. 



A : Flower Head. 



B : Base of blade. 



(after Percival). 



