IMITATION OF NATURE. 293 



not always spring up in particular places because they 

 are peculiarly adapted to the soil, but often from mere 

 accident. Seeds are carried by the wind, or by animals 

 or birds, and, being dropped, produce plants on the spot 

 where they fall. These plants again produce seeds 

 which fall, and in their turn produce other plants. Thus 

 a particular species of grass, or any plant, may be intro- 

 duced into and fixed in a locality where it has no spe- 

 cial adaptation- to the soil there, and the most common 

 plants or varieties of plants will be most likely to spread 

 in this way. Hence, the mere fact that a certain species 

 is very generally dififused in a certain district does not, 

 by any means, prove that it is better suited to the soil 

 of that district than any other species, nor that it will 

 be sure to come in if omitted in a mixture of grasses 

 designed for such a locality. 



As already said, the mixture of grass-seeds in imita- 

 tion of nature, for the purpose of forming good perma- 

 nent fields or pastures, is of comparatively modern 

 origin. It was, for a long time after this practice 

 commenced, thought to require a great while to form 

 a thick and good sward or turf, by any artificial means. 

 The use of a large and judiciously selected number of 

 species has been found to accomplish this object most 

 quickly. 



Though I have expressed myself with some degree 

 of confidence on this subject, I would still refer to 

 the importance of careful experiment. The outlay is 

 small, when compared with the losses now sustained 

 in over-seeding with too few species, and from small 

 or medium crops ; and the farmer can soon satisfy 

 himself as to the profit of more attention to the mix- 

 tures of grasses. 



More than sixty years ago, careful experiments were 

 25* 



