238 



AGRICULTURE. 



BOOK I. 



different grasses is of importance both in useful and ornamental 

 agriculture. Perennial rye-grass ( lolUum perenne ) is the most 

 generally useful for good soil ; common meadow grass ( poa tri- 

 vial! :i) the best for middling soils ; large meadow grass (poa pra- 

 tense J the best for rich meadows. Festuca flutans, or floating 

 fescue, the best for middling meadows. The holms lunatis the 

 best for mossy lands or bad meadows. The festuca avina, and 

 cynosurus cristatus, the best for sheep pastures. The juncus 

 palustris the best for salt marshes, &c. 



In cultivating grasses three modes require to be mentioned, 

 which are of considerable importance : the first is top-dressing 

 with manure ; which, when done early in spring, greatly aug- 

 ments the crop : the second is irrigation > which is naturally sug- 

 gested by the effects of small brooks upon the sides of hills, 

 which run along their margins, and wherever they overflow are 

 sure to produce good grasses and white clover, except in a few 

 instances where the water is impregnated with mineral sub- 

 stances injurious to vegetation. Irrigation is a very simple, but 

 most excellent practice. It may be performed by farmers in 

 all hilly and pasture countries with the greatest ease and at a 

 very little ex pence. In Herefordshire, Montgomeryshire, &c. 

 it is much practised, both with brooks, and in times of rain with 

 the water collected on the highways. The pasture of fields so 

 managed is always much earlier than others. 



