ch. x] Seed- Mixtures 179 



of the kind of mixture most generally suitable for the purpose 

 mentioned. To prescribe the most useful mixture for any par- 

 ticular place or purpose it is necessary that all the special con- 

 ditions and requirements should be understood. 



Table V gives mixtures which will generally be found service- 

 able for various types of lawns, etc. For ordinary garden lawns 

 some wild white clover may also be included if desired, but for 

 tennis, and other playing lawns the presence of clover is not 

 desirable. When forming lawns the soil should be thoroughly 

 cleaned, and the finest possible tilth secured. The seed-bed 

 should be perfectly level and very firm. The seed-rate should 

 be from twice to four times as heavy as that indicated for agri- 

 cultural purposes in Table II. The object is not to grow fully 

 developed plants, but to secure a dense file of short hard-wearing 

 foliage, and this is obtained by thick sowing followed by constant 

 close cutting and rolling. Due attention must also be given to the 

 nourishment of the turf. 



A suitable mixture for one year's duration, for mowing or 



grazing, is as follows: 



Millions of 

 Area germinating 



Per cent. allowed lbs. seeds per acre 



Italian Rye-grass ... 20 (10-30) 6 \\ 



Broad Bed Clover ... 80 (90-70) 16 4 



Total 100 (100) 22 5£ 



Such a mixture is generally suitable for soils of good or medium 

 quality. Both species are practically biennial and therefore give 

 their full yield the first season, i.e. if sown in the spring cereal 

 crop they give a full yield in the summer of the following year. 

 The proportions can be varied considerably as indicated by the 

 figures in brackets. On land which is liable to clover sickness the 

 Red Clover can be partly or wholly replaced by Alsike, or more 

 Italian Rye-grass can be sown. On poor, dry soils, Black Medick 

 can replace some of the Red Clover, and Perennial Rye-grass and 

 possibly Tall Oat-grass take the place of the Italian Rye-grass. 



12—2 



