214 The Condition of Permanent Meadows. [June, 



33 cwt. per acre per annum for 12 years. Averages of 46 cwt. 

 per acre per annum have been obtained, for three -year periods. 



Permanent meadow land under dung and artificials has 

 averaged 41 cwt. per annum for 23 years; under artificials alone 

 30 cwt. 



Saxmimdham. — Mixtures have been down for 8 years. The 

 best mixture under the best manurial treatment has given an 

 average yield of 29 cwt. per acre per annum over the period, 

 which is precisely the same yield as that averaged on 

 permanent meadow under the most productive manurial treat- 

 ment for a period of 12 years.* 



West Aberdeenshire. — Five plots sown in 1911 gave an average 

 yield of 43 to 49 cwt. per acre per annum for a three-year 

 period. The yields in the first year ranged from 66 to 75 cwt., 

 in the second from 33 to 37 cwt., and in the third from 29 to 

 40 cwt.f 



Cerdral Wales. — Hay yields in the first year varying from 40 

 to 60 cwt. per acre have been obtained. An extensive series 

 of trials was started in 1912, but owing to the War it was 

 impossible to obtain results after the first year. 



The above figures show that under proper manurial treat- 

 ment heavy crops may be obtained from seeds hay for a, 

 number of years. The first crop is usually the heaviest and 

 may be more bulky than that obtained from even the best 

 meadows highly manured. High average results may be 

 harvested for three or four years — results as good, and in 

 some cases slightly better than those obtained from well 

 manured permanent meadows on similar soils. The Saxmund- 

 ham. trials have shown that mixtures of the Elliot type are less 

 dependent on manuring than are more ordinary mixtures or 

 than permanent meadows. 



The foregoing review has only taken account of bulk. It 

 is, however, on the score of freedom from weeds, including 

 Yorkshire Fog, Bent and Soft Brome, that well managed 

 seeds hay is so much superior to even well manured meadow 

 hay. The worst weeds of meadow hay do not make an early 

 appearance on leys, whilst by resort to a well balanced mix- 

 ture of highly pure seeds (including a sufficiency of Cocksfoot) , 

 Soft Brome and Yorkshire Fog can be successfully suppressed 

 for at least three to six years. The inclusion of wild white 

 clover makes for a clean sward v/hich, under ^ood manage- 



Loc. cit. 



t North of Scotland Coll. of Agric, Experiments, Leaflet No. 40. 



