1904.] Use of Rye Grass in Seed Mixtures. 



105 



The most striking feature is the long-lasting action of the 

 manures applied for beans. The after-effect of superphosphate 

 when used along with farmyard manure is especially remarkable, 

 and this is partly due to its own unexhausted residue remaining 

 available in the soil for the succeeding crops, as well as to its 

 indirect effect in producing more beans and thus enriching the 

 soil with nitrogen. Another feature of the table is the com- 

 parative action of superphosphate and basic slag : the former 

 is quick in its action, but sooner exhausted, while the latter 

 only becomes gradually available and reaches its greatest 

 activity on the clover in the fourth year of the experiment. 



An experiment in laying down land in grass for three years 

 has been undertaken by the Edinburgh and East of Scotland 



College of Agriculture at the request of 

 Use of Rye Grass the Fifeshire County Council. The ex- 

 in Seed Mixtures, periment arose from the fact that in certain 



parts of the country it is often desirable to 

 extend the rotation of crops on second and third rate land by 

 allowing it to remain in grass for a longer period than one or 

 two years. When this is successfully accomplished the labour 

 bill is reduced, the fertility of the land is increased by the 

 accumulation of vegetable matter, and better crops are obtained 

 at less expense ; but it often happens that, although the grass 

 yields a satisfactory crop the first year, in the second and 

 subsequent years it deteriorates considerably. There is some 

 reason for believing that the failure of these lands to carry grass 

 longer is, to a certain extent, due to the unsuitability of the 

 mixtures of seeds used. These mixtures generally consist of a 

 heavy seeding of rye grass along with from seven to ten pounds 

 of clover. A few pounds of " natural " or permanent grasses, 

 such as cocksfoot, timothy and meadow fescue, may form part 

 of the mixture, but owing to the heavy seeding of rye grass 

 neither these grasses nor the clovers make much headway, and 

 the vigorous growing shallow-rooted rye grass soon exhausts 

 the resources of inferior soils, hence their inability to carry grass 

 profitably. 



