SS8 GRASSES AND CLOVERS FOR LEYS OF 



(v) Earliness and lateness of growth. — Sweet vernal -grass, 

 meadow-foxtail, cocksfoot, meadow fescue, and tall oat-grass 

 commence to grow in early spring, while timothy and florin are 

 much later in the production of their leafy shoots. 



(vi) Power of growth after being cut, or the yield of aftermath 

 to be obtained from a grass is a matter for careful consideration. 



(vii) Quality and yield of produce.— Tas feeding quality of 

 the grasses and other plants depends upon their specific nature 

 to a considerable extent, but it also varies with their age, the 

 particular stage of their development, and soil upon which 

 the plants are grown, as well as upon several other conditions. 

 For all practical purposes in the choice of the different common 

 grasses mentioned below as suitable for leys, we must at present 

 rest content to treat them as of equal value in this respect. 



(viii) Adaptability to certain soils and climates. — All the best 

 grasses, such as are adapted for use in the formation of leys and 

 permanent pastures, and capable of yielding valuable fodder, 

 grow readily upon all classes of soils. Some however, such as 

 timothy, rough-stalked meadow-grass and alsike clover, grow 

 most satisfactorily upon the stiffer, damper soils, while tall oat- 

 grass, hard fescue, kidney-vetch, and others are adapted to drier 

 soils. 



For the best results with grasses their soil-requirements must 

 be considered. 



2. Grasses and Clovers for Leys of One, Two, or Tliree 

 Years' Duration. 



In these leys which are to be kept down for a short time only, 

 the grasses and clovers must fulfil the following requirements : — 



(i) They should have the power of growing rapidly and should 

 reach their maximum state of development within the time 

 during which the ' ley' is to be utilised. 



(ii) They should yield a large bulk of produce ; and 



(iii) Should be of good feeding-quality. 



