MANAGEMENT OF PASTURES. 79 



growth is attested by the thickness of the roots seen at the 

 next ploughing. Success nearly always follows the use of 

 these plants on poor soils underlain by clays. When broken 

 out of their present grass they might be put in rape, or 

 turnips followed by rape, and then sown in Cocksfoot, 

 about 15 pounds, Chicory say 5 pounds, and Lucerne 3 

 pounds, or if it is preferred, the Cocksfoot may be sown quite 

 pure. On a small area it would be worth trying Phalaris 

 bulbosa at say 8 pounds per acre to replace one-third of the 

 Cocksfoot, but this should be tried on a purely experimental 

 scale at present. 



Two objections are levelled against this plan of grassing, 

 one by those who have tried it and one by those who have 

 not. Some who have tried the plan find that several plants 

 recommended by Elliot are not suitable for New Zealand 

 conditions. This is quite true, since Meadow Fescue does 

 not succeed on light dry soils. Tall Oat Grass is not palatable, 

 and Sheep's Burnet and Kidney Vetch are not capable of 

 penetrating our stiff clay subsoils. While all this is true 

 the method as modified by colonial experience remains of 

 great value, and Cocksfoot, Chicory and Lucerne have proved 

 themselves. The objection made by some who have not 

 tried the system is that the Cocksfoot will not carry sufficient 

 stock to be payable during its first few years. This, as 

 pointed out before, is a pure fallacy, based on observations 

 made on the growth of Cocksfoot when sown in mixtures 

 with Rye Grass. One can say with assurance that Cocksfoot 

 sown pure wiU carry, even in its first year, though 

 not so early in its first year, as much stock or 

 more than the ordinary Rye Grass mixtures, and its superi- 

 ority increases with time. In South Taranaki a field of 

 Cocksfoot sown pure, 15 pounds to the acre, was 18 inches 

 high, and ready to be cut for hay seven months from sowing. 

 At Lincoln a field was laid down in seven plots of about 



