64 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



LOLIUM VULGARE. L. ANNUUM 

 {Common, or Annual Rye Grass). 



The seed of this plant is larger and flatter than that of the 

 Perennial and Italian varieties. It is almost as broad as the 

 seed of Bromus mollis, but is lighter and awnless. The plant 

 deserves to be better known, for it possesses valuable properties, 

 yielding a good bulk of nourishing herbage of a light green 

 colour, and sending up a dense mass of flowering culms. The 

 roots, being small, are more easily got rid of when the ley is 

 ploughed than are the roots of the perennial 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 mixtures for permanent pastures are 

 largely owing to the substitution of Annual Rye Grass. The 

 latter is only biennial in duration, and its use in a permanent 

 prescription is indefensible. Most of the advantages of the 

 annual variety can be obtained from its more permanent 

 relation, but reliable seed of the former is less easy to procure, 

 and is frequently higher in price. 



LOLIUM ITALICUM 



{Italian Rye Grass). 



I wish to prevent the possibility of a misunderstanding 

 by saying at once that this grass is only under consideration 

 here 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 



