56 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



variety ; and there is a general concurrence of opinion that 

 although the plant is of such rapid growth, and draws its 

 nourishment entirely from the surface soil, it does not greatly 

 impoverish the land for the next crop. 



The objections which have been urged against the use of 

 Perennial Rye Grass in permanent mixtures are largely owing 

 to the substitution of Annual Rye Grass. The latter is only 

 biennial in duration, and there are several reasons why seed of 

 so short-lived a plant should not be included in prescriptions 

 for permanent pasture. 



LOLIUM ITALICUM 



(Italian Rye Grass). 



I wish to prevent the possibility of a misunderstanding 

 by saying at once that this grass is under consideration here 

 solely in its proper connection with alternate husbandry. In a 

 permanent pasture it is generally harmful, and the seed should 

 rarely be included in a prescription for that purpose. 



Italian Rye Grass was probably first cultivated in Lom- 

 bardy, and spread thence through Europe. It was introduced 

 into England in 1831 by the late INIr. Charles Lawson, of 

 Edinburgh, who was an old friend of my father. At first 

 Mr. Lawson imported seed from Hamburg, but a few years 

 later he was able to obtain it direct from Leghorn. The 

 experiments made with Italian Rye Grass by the late Mr. 

 William Dickinson resulted in crops which were then 

 considered marvellous, and for many years his name was 

 prominently associated with this fodder plant. His system 

 no doubt suggested the idea of sewage treatment, and it is not 

 too much to say that without Italian Rye Grass the present 

 method of sewage farming could not be carried on. There is 

 no other green crop, except perhaps Brovius inermis, which 

 can be substituted for it, or which will yield equally valuable 

 herbage. 



