Grass Seed Mixtures. 81 



once to draw support from the lower strata of the soil, 

 supply food when other plants dry up in a drought, 

 and deeply disintegrate the soil, and permeate it 

 with vegetable matter; if some of the plants should, 

 besides, be of a kind especially calculated to promote 

 the health of the stock, and also act as a preventive 

 against disease ; and if the greater part of the mixture 

 should consist of grasses calculated to give the largest 

 possible amount of produce, it is evident that all the 

 existing mixtures for permanent pastures must be 

 largely reconstructed, so as to meet, as far as possible, 

 the above-mentioned requirements. And seeing that, 

 from the existing agricultural conditions, temporary 

 pastures will in future be allowed to lie from four to six 

 years, it is equally evident that alternate husbandry 

 mixtures should be composed with the same ends in 

 view, and so should pretty closely resemble those used 

 for permanent pasture. For laying down, then, to 

 permanent pasture, and in the case of land to lie from 

 four to six years, I now use much the same mixture, 

 with this difference, that in the case of the latter I omit 

 meadow foxtail, and, in the case of light lands, timothy 

 too, as it is considered unsuitable for dry lands. As to 

 the proportion of grasses, plants, and clovers that 

 should be used, I am far from saying that the propor- 

 tions I have used are the best. On the contrary, 

 much more experience will be required to show the 

 proportions that should be used for our varying soils 

 and climates, but I feel sure that the principles on 

 which my mixtures are founded are sound, and that 

 the results from them on this property have been most 

 satisfactory, and, indeed, in the case of the poor lands, 

 the results have surprised me, and also farmers of great 

 experience. I may here mention that during my long 

 expeiience I have used a great variety of mixtures, 

 and with varying degrees of results, but I do not quote 

 any of them, because I do not consider that they were 

 founded on those principles which I now see should 



