I30 PRACTICAL NOTES ON GRASSES AND GRASS GROWING. 
But there would never have heen the run there was upon 
the grass had there not been some good qualities behind the 
scenes, which the careful experimenter soon ascertained and 
turned to his advantage. When properly used it will be found 
a thrifty as well as a hardy plant, and sown on the stubbles 
late in October it will often yield early and plentiful spring 
feed for young lambs, or other stock, or give an early swarth, 
second only to foxtail; but it requires. good land and constant 
feeding with nitrogenous dressings. The more you manure 
this grass the more will it grow. 
There are extant many tales and instances concerning its 
marvellous powers of production in years gone by, they all 
point to one moral, which we would urge upon the intending 
grower: it is, “always experiment before using this grass in 
large quantities.” 
Italian ryegrass may be sown in early spring, or at any time 
when there is warmth, manure, and moisture; although a 
biennial it will last for several years if plentifully fed and cared 
for. 
Beyond the reasons above-mentioned, we would not recom- 
mend it to be sown with either clover, trefoil, or hay mixtures, 
as it outstrips them in growth ; but where it is intended to be 
fed and mowed hard it will be found a desirable adjunct. 
When consuming Italian ryegrass we feed it up to June, cut 
what hay there may be in August, and feed it again afterwards. 
Sometimes we find it necessary to run the cutter over it again 
in September, as it is desirable to keep it down until late in 
the autumn. At one time this country was to a great extent 
dependent on France for its seed, but of late years the samples 
which have been exported from }rance arrive very foul, and 
now we obtain most of our best supplies from the north of 
Ireland, Scotland, and parts of East Anglia; notably the fen 
districts. 
It takes a larger quantity of these seeds than of others to 
