THE NATURAL HISTORY OF BRITISH GRASSES. 65 
prevails to such an extent as to form a greater part of the 
hay-crop. In this case it is difficult of eradication, because 
it is much earlier than the rest of the grass; and if the hay 
be cut early, to prevent its seeding, there are always some 
unflowered stems left behind, which will shoot up and seed 
in the aftercrop. On this account it has been recommended 
to be cut often, but, after all, this is a method of cure which 
would frequently render a crop of seeds of comparatively 
little use to the farmer. “Prevention, therefore,” says 
Sinclair, “is most to be recommended,” and this is to be 
achieved by judicious cropping and liberal treatment, and 
more especially as this grass is mostly a denizen of poor 
exhausted soils. But, above all, we should be particular 
not to sow this grass with our crop—a process by which its 
continuance is constantly ensured without proper care, and 
which results in the following manner. 
A dishonest farmer has a crop of seeds which may be very 
foul, especially with the prevalence of lop. In this rase he 
knows it will be not only a short but a poor crop of hay 
and grass; he therefore seeds it, and the lop and the rye- 
grass thus become inseparable, and the superior weight of 
the former makes up a tolerable weight of seed, which, even 
if sold at a reduced price because it is not of the best 
quality, pays better than by any other mode of dealing with 
it; and thus, as long as men are rogues enough to seed foul 
patches, and others are so foolish as to buy the cheapened 
produce, so long will this be a source of weeds. Yet, so far 
as clean farming is concerned, we cannot consider any as 
entitled to that name unless as well as destroying weeds it 
also provides against sowing them. “ Prevention” is indeed 
better than cure, as weeding, however judiciously performed, 
is sure to leave enough of prolific enemies to continue the 
pest, so that it is the best, and safest, and, we think, the 
cheapest cure. We have been thus hard upon the lop, as 
it can only be considered a weed, being an annual grass; 
and, notwithstanding the high position in which my friend 
Dr. Voelcker has placed it in Chemistry of Food, in respect 
