GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 37 



ties, in other instances and indeed generally but a lim- 

 ited number of varieties should be chosen, and yet again 

 but one variety. It would seem to be correct to say that 

 when determining which grasses should be sown in 

 combination pastures, adaptation should be the first con- 

 sideration, intrinsic value for the end sought the sec- 

 ond, and permanence in growth the third. ISTotwitli- 

 standing there may be instances in which it is wise to 

 sow freely in the mixture some short lived variety to 

 provide abundant grazing while the slower growing 

 varieties are becoming established. 



The Grazing of Meadows. — The way in which mead- 

 ows are grazed has a far more important influence on 

 their productiveness than is generally supposed. The 

 practice of grazing them closely in the autumn is quite 

 common and this is frequently done the autumn imme- 

 diately following the sowing of the seeds. 



When thus grazed the vitality of the plants is less- 

 ened. The protection which the autumn growth fur- 

 nishes being thus removed, the roots of the plants are 

 more exposed to the severity of the winter weather than 

 they would otherwise be, and, in consequence, they 

 grow less vigorously than they otherwise would the fpl- 

 lowing season. Severe grazing of newly sown meadows 

 in the autumn sometimes leads to their destruction be- 

 fore one crop of hay has been grown. Of course, all 

 grass plants are not equally injured by such grazing, 

 but there is probably no variety the yield of which will 

 not be lessened the following season when thus closely 

 grazed unless the season and other conditions are un- 

 usuallv favorable. 



