36 PRACTICAL NOTES ON GRASSES AND GRASS GROWING. 
allowed to decompose, a succession of excellent crops to 
alternate husbandry may be expected. 
It is a practical fact that permanent pastures always flag 
during the third or fourth year, but with temporary leys as soon 
as this flagging becomes apparent the farmer either carts a good 
coating of manure on to the land, or dresses it with road 
scrapings, the cuttings from banks, or he ploughs it up 
altogether, and saves himself further bad years. With a one 
year’s ley this difficulty is not so apparent, nor is the seed so 
costly as that of permanent pasture, because the finer and 
dearer grasses, which take years to establish themselves, are 
passed over for coarser, cheaper, and less permanent sub- 
stitutes. 
On heavy land a simple mixture of perennial cow grass, 
Italian ryegrass, cocksfoot, and similar seeds are often used as 
a shift course ; and on lighter land a simple mixture of common 
sainfoin and lucerne finds favour. We have known the latter 
to stand successfully for years. 
For a good ley it is essential to have good seeds and careful 
cultivation, remembering that, although the use of the roll may 
be detrimental to the growth of barley, it is (except when the 
land is wet) the best friend to young grasses. 
THE AFTER MANAGEMENT OF CLOVERS AND PASTURES. 
If a ley has been sown with a corn crop in a more or less 
loose and unsuitable bed, much damage may occur to the ley 
before the corn is harvested and the young plants can be 
properly attended to. This fact should be remembered, and 
so soon as the corn is harvested immediate attention should be 
given to the ley. Where the ley is weak, re-sow it with no 
sparing hand, and endeavour to thoroughly consolidate the 
soil with a roll, heavy in accordance with the nature of the 
land and the season. 
