102 Grass Seed Mixtures and Temporary Leys. [may. 



is to stimulate the plant on an acre or two of pasture by a 

 liberal dressing of phosphate, and cut the crop when dead 

 ripe, after which it should be threshed and roughly dressed. 



A further point of interest in regard to wild white clover is 

 that fallen seeds seem capable of lying dormant throughout a 

 rotation and springing up when next the field is sown out to 

 ley. In such circumstances, and provided the soil in the 

 interval is sufficiently slagged, it would seem that subsequent 

 sowing of wild white clover could be considerably curtailed or 

 even omitted, 



One-Year Leys. — It is difficult to suggest any improvement 

 on the usual clover, or clover and rye-grass mixtures, where 

 these succeed, but in cases of short rotation where " clover 

 sickness " is prevalent, attention should be given to plants 

 that for all practical purposes are immune from this disease, 

 e.g., white clover and trefoil. A mixture of these with rye- 

 grasses should ensure a good plant. 



Late-fiowering red clover is less susceptible than broad red 

 clover, and along with rye-grass should ensure a " stand " in 

 all but the worst cases of clover-sick land ; but if a sward of 

 herbage plants is regarded as essential it would be best to sow 

 down the field for two or three years, when white clover could 

 advantageously form the clover basis of the mixture. In 

 Essex very promising results have recently been obtained from 

 lucerne mixed with a little wild white clover. 



Two-Year Leys. — The following seeding, recommended for 

 ordmary average soils, ma}^ be given as an example of a nucleus 

 mixture for a two-year le}' : — 



Lh. per acre. 

 Perennial rye-grass . . . . . . . . 13 



Cocksfoot . . . . . . . . . . 6 



Timothy 3 



Late-flowering red clover . . . . . . i J 



Broad red clover . . . . . . . . 2 



Commercial white clover . . . . . . i 



Alsike clover . . . . . . . . i 



A suitable two-year mixture for grazing on land subject to 

 clover sickness would be : — - 



Lh. per acre. 



Perennial rye-grass . . . . . . . . 12 — 14 



Crested dogstail . . . . . . . . 2 



White clover . . . . . . . . 4 — 6 



Three or more Years Ley, — The only important changes that 

 need be made from the two-year mixture suggested are that 

 f lb. wild white clover may take the place of commercial white 

 clover ; or, alternatively, ^ lb. of each may be used. In districts 



