PASTURES AND PASTURE PLANTS 



CHAP. 11 



at the time of flowering, 7,486 

 lbs. of green fodder, or 2,246 

 lbs. of hay, with 4,764 lbs. of 

 lattermath, from an acre of 

 manured brown loam ; while 

 Vianne secured 5,280 lbs., and 

 Pinkert, 3,170 lbs. of hay per 

 acre. The seed is generally 

 collected from wild plants ; 

 and in commerce that of 

 Smooth-stalked meadow-grass 

 is often substituted ; while An- 

 nual meadow-grass (Poa annua) 

 is sometimes employed as an 

 adulterant. Good qualities 

 should have about 90 per cent, 

 of purity and 85 per cent, of 

 germination, 11 "3 lbs. being 

 usually sown per acre. Rough- 

 stalked meadow-grass is a most 

 valuable variety for permanent 

 pasture in rich and sheltered 

 soils, but it is not desirable 

 for alternate husbandry, as 

 it gives only i cutting a 

 year. It is adapted for form- 

 ing lawns in confined situations 

 beneficial ; and nitrate of soda, in 



Wood Meadow-Grass. 

 i^Poa neinoraiis.) 



Rough-stalked Meadow-Grass. 

 {Poa trivialis.) 



in towns. Top-dressing with compost is 

 conjunction with other artificial fertilizers, 

 encourages the growth of the 

 plant. 



Wood Meadow - Grass 

 (Poa nemoralis). — Perennial, 

 of creeping tendency; flower- 

 ing in June ; and maturing 

 seed towards the end of July. 

 A very early and tolerably 

 productive grass, growing well 

 in the shade and in exposed 

 situations ; and resisting ex- 

 treme drought. Sinclair ob- 

 tained, at the time of flowering, 

 9,188 lbs. of green fodder, or 

 3,905 lbs. of hay, from an acre 

 of brown loam. Its special 

 value lies in its suitability for 

 sowing under trees and in 

 ornamental grounds. Hares 

 and rabbits eat its herbage 

 with avidity; and game-birds 

 appear fond of the seeds, of 

 which 20 lbs. are required to 

 sow an acre. 



