1*^2 Guide to Economical use of Grass Seeds, 



Grasses arranged in the order of their cost for seeds required to sow an 



acre : — 



PMeum pratense (Timothy) , 



Lolium perenne (Perennial ryegrass) 



Lolium italicum (Italian ryegrass) 



Poa pratensis (Smooth-stalked meadow grass) 

 Poa trivialis (Rough-stalked meadow grass). . , 



Poa nemoralis ( Wood meadow grass) 



Festuca duriuscula (Hard fescue) 



Festuca ovina teuuifolia (Fine-leaved fescue) 



Dactylis glomerata (Coekifoot) 



Festuca pratensis (Meadnw fescue) 



Alopecurus pratensis (Meadow foxtail) 



Cynosurus cristatus (Orested dogstail) .... 



Festuca elatior (Tall fescue) 



Aveuti flavescens (Golden oat grass) 



Avena elatior (Zaii oat grass) 



Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet vernal) 



The above Table is intended to serve as a guide to the economical 

 use of grass seeds. When making a selection of grasses, the following 

 points should each receive due consideration : — 



(1) Productiveness. 



(2) Suitability of the species for the soil and climate, and 



for the purpose for which the seeds are required. 



(3) Cost of the seeds. 



From the Table of " Estimate of Productiveness," given on page 

 131, it will be seen that some grasses are capable of producing more 

 than double the quantity of herbage that other species can produce, 

 while from the above Table of the cost of seeds required to sow an acre, 

 it will be observed that the variation in the cost of different seeds is 

 very great. It must also be borne in mind that some of the species 

 whose seeds are most expensive are inferior to others whose seeds are 

 far cheaper. The price of seed depends on the cost of its production, 

 and not on its real value or usefulness. Careful consideration of these 

 matters is therefore necessary to a proper selection. 



If the information given in these two Tables is conjointly con- 

 sidered, it will not be difficult to select grasses that are at once the 

 most profitable and least expensive. Taking, for example, Phlemn 

 pratense (Timothy), which is the lowest-priced seed in the above Table, 

 it will be found on reference to the proper Table that it ranks high as 

 regards productiveness, so that this species readily takes its place as 

 the cheapest grass seed, and therefore worthy of extensive use. On 

 the other hand, Anthoxanthum odoratum (Sweet Vernal), the most 

 expensive seed in the above Table, will be found to be one of the least 

 productive (and at the same time a grass of inferior quality), so that 

 it may be considered as unworthy of notice. 



