AGRICULTURAL GRASSES 57 



There are considerable variations in the character, pro- 

 ductiveness, and duration of the several strains of this plant ; 

 still, roughly speaking, all are biennial. The seed which is 

 imported from the Continent yields very heavy crops, but is 

 so infested with pernicious weeds as to need most careful 

 cleaning before it is fit to sow. To avoid the risk of making 

 the land foul, seed has long been grown in Ireland, and con- 

 tinuous selection has developed aU the good qualities of the 

 imported stock, except its extreme vigour. Lolium italicum 

 Siittonl, which is now largely grown, was obtained by careful 

 selection of the most free-growing and leafy plants. This 

 stock grows with extraordinary rapidity, with but a small 

 proportion of stalks, so that the crop, whether green or made 

 into hay, is of specially fine quality. 



Itahan Rye Grass wUl grow in almost any soil, but is least 

 satisfactory on poor dry land, unless it can be freely assisted 

 with liquid manure. Fair results have, however, been obtained 

 from heaths dressed with marl and farmyard dung. This 

 grass needs warmth and moisture, and in rich damp soils 

 the growth is extremely rapid. Irrigation by liquid manure 

 results in enormous crops, following each other in surprisingly 

 rapid succession ; and the plant is so hardy as to endure our 

 coldest winters without injury, while it starts earher in spring 

 and grows later in autumn than any other grass. 



Italian Rye Grass is so much preferred by stock, that 

 when a two years' ley which contains it is fed off, the cattle 

 wiU not allow a single flower-stem to ripen. The forage 

 promotes a gi-eat flow of milk, and improves the flavour of 

 butter and cheese. The celebrated Parmesan cheese is said 

 to be made from the milk of cows fed entii-ely on Italian Rye 

 Grass. 



No wonder, therefore, that with such remarkable quahties 

 the plant should have been recommended and used for 

 permanent pastures, although nearly every authority has pro- 

 nounced it unsuitable for that purpose. Italian Rye Grass is 



