156 Roughly prepared Land requires more Seed. 



once the most profitable and least expensive. Taking, for 

 example, Phleum pratense (Timothy), whioh is the lowest priced 

 seed in the above Table, it mil be found on reference to the 

 Table on page 154, that it ranks high as regards productiveness, 

 so that this species readily takes its place as tlie 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 from an 

 agricultural point of view. 



MoEJ3 Seed should be Used when the Land is not in 

 FINE Tilth. 



The capacity of even the small delicate -seeded grasses for 

 estabUshing themselves under unfavourable conditions of soil, &c., 

 is remarkable, and, in my opinion, sowing on rough land means 

 chiefly a loss of a portion of the seed sown, but it does not 

 prevent the remaining portion from ultimately doing well. My 

 views are these :^If sown on a fine tilth, and under perfect con- 

 ditions as regards moisture and heat, every seed having 

 germinating capacity may be expected to germinate and establish 

 itself, if not interfered with by birds or otherwise. If sown on 

 soil not properly pulverized, a small and delicate grass seed 

 faUing on the outside of a clod might germinate, but might be 

 scorched and killed by a day or two's hot sunshine and drought 

 before it could obtain root-hold. If the same seed fell in a 

 hoUow, and was covered by a clod, it would have no chance 

 of germinating, being too deeply covered. In both these cases 

 the seeds are practically lost, and the outcome of the matter 

 is that, while with a fine tilth and suitable conditions as regards 

 moisture and warmth, a perfect germination from all the seeds 

 sown may be immediately obtained, sowing on rough land cannot 

 possibly give such good results, as probably one half ■ of these 

 fine seeds have fallen where they cannot succeed, and an extra 

 allowance of seed should be sown on rough land to compensate 

 for the seeds that will be lost. 



Large-seeded grasses, such as cocksfoot, meadow and tail 

 fescues, and ryegrasses, have naturally greater staying powers 

 than the small-seeded grasses and the clovere. 



