38 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



have unfortunately been ruined by a sowing of the seed, 

 and new pastures have had to be broken up because this grass 

 was sown in too great proportion. Concerning the immense 

 cropping power on strong moist soils there cannot be two 

 opinions ; but the plant does not endure long-continued drought 

 so weU as Foxtail, and is entirely out of place in upland 

 meadows. When a fine hay crop is the chief desideratum, 

 Cocksfoot should be omitted altogether, and its place be filled 

 by Meadow Fescue. 



The valuable qualities of Cocksfoot are even better 

 reahsed in a three or four years' ley than in a permanent 

 pasture.^ With Rye Grass and Clover it forms a superior 

 feeding ley, and yields a very bulky crop for consumption on 

 the farm, where coarseness is not objectionable. FuU maturity 

 is not attained until the second year. 



Cocksfoot comes into flower in June, and meadows in 

 which it abounds must be cut early, so that the flowering culms 

 may be in a young stage of growth. After early cutting, 

 the plant quickly starts again, and while tender the herbage is 

 much relished by all kinds of cattle. Mere size or coarseness 

 is not a standard of excellence, for a smaller crop of Cocksfoot 

 from a rich, light loam has been proved by analysis to be more 

 than equivalent to a heavier crop taken from fen land, and the 

 quality is always higher before flowering than after the seed 

 has been developed. Experiments show that in April ten per 

 cent, of the herbage of this grass consisted of nutritive matter ; 

 while at midsummer the proportion was only about three and 

 one-third per cent. These are important facts to be borne in 

 mind in laying down a new pasture. To make Cocksfoot into 

 hay at the end of April, however, would necessitate the sowing 



^ The Swiss authority, Dr. F. G. Stebler, is very emphatic on this point. He says : 

 ' It is chiefly in temporary meadows that it is most advantageous. Yet if sown too 

 largely at first it has the same fault as if sown alone, forming cushions, and consequently 

 an unequal turf. It is better to begin by sowing but little, and, after allowing other 

 sorts to develop properly, to sow a little more later. Only in exceptional cases is it 

 necessary to sow more than 15 per cent, at first. A good rolling is very beneficial in 

 spring. This levels the tufts.' 



