150 PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY PASTURES 



more nutritious herbage might profitably occupy its place; 

 on this point comparative analyses leave no room for doubt. 

 Whatever manurial dressings are favourable to the grass crop 

 are prejudicial to Rib Grass. The seed is one of the most 

 frequent impurities of Red Clover, and Perennial Rye Grass 

 often contains a considerable percentage of it. 



Sedges and Rushes {Car ex sp. and Juncus sj>.). — Even 

 under vigilant supervision these plants will sometimes intrude 

 on the low-lying portions of water-meadows, and if neglected 

 they multiply so rapidly as to practically exclude the 

 gramineous herbage. The most effectual mode of destroying 

 these semi-aquatics is to drain the land thoroughly; where 

 this is impracticable the herbage must be cut low several 

 times in every season. 



Soft Brome Grass {Bromus mollis). — The early and 

 abundant production of seed facilitates the spread of this per- 

 nicious grass. So rapidly is the seed-crop developed that the 

 leaves and stems are drained of the little nutrition they pos- 

 sessed, and the herbage is therefore worthless as hay. As 

 Soft Brome Grass is of annual, or at most of biennial, duration, 

 early mowing for two or three seasons reduces it in meadow 

 lands, and in pastures it can be diminished by a dressing of 

 ammonia salts combined with mineral manures. 



Sorrel, Common {Rwncx Acetosa), is closely allied to 

 docks, and is found in nearly all meadows, sometimes in great 

 profusion. The plant sends down its tap-root to a considerable 

 depth, and destruction by hand is almost impracticable. 

 Dressings of mineral and ammonia salts weaken sorrel, and at 

 the same time assist the grass crop. 



Thistle, Creeping {Cardims arvcnsis). — AVhen once esta- 

 blished in a pasture this pest is difficult to extirpate. Soils rich 

 in lime are its favourite home. On such land the strong 



