On Layincj down Land to Permanent Grass. 231 
shire fog or soft woolly grass {Holcus lanatus). Both these 
grasses are rapid in growth and make a great show, hence 
their popularity with superficial observers and seed-mer- 
chants ; tliey produce an abundance of seed and are very 
cheap. Enormous profits are made by the sale of them, 
and, what is worse, incalculable loss is entailed upon those 
who sow them for permanent pasture. INIy experience is that 
mixtures sold throughout the country for permanent pasture 
consist principally of rye-grass. And as these mixtures are 
sold at prices varying from 8</. to \0d. per lb., whilst the 
rye-grass seeds, of which they principally consist, can be 
purchased for \hd. per lb., it requires no great skill to calculate 
the vast profits which must accrue to those who supply them. 
In relation to the life of the plant, grasses may be divided 
into two classes, those which flower and seed once only and then 
die, and those which continue to flower and seed and yet live. 
The first are generally called annual grasses, but it should be 
observed that annual grasses kept down by stock, or cut before 
seeding, may continue to live for years until they seed ; after 
seeding they die. All the grasses which I have mentioned 
above, with the exception of rye-grass, are perennial, and do 
not die upon seeding, whilst all rye-grasses, or nearly all, die 
after once seeding ; unless, therefore, the seed is permitted to 
mature, fall, and germinate in the field, those grasses disappear 
from the pasture. To the presence of annual grasses, and to 
this alone, do I assign the deterioration of the large majority of 
newly-formed pastures. The seed mixtures usually supplied for 
laying down land to permanent pasture consist of so large a 
proportion of annual grasses that the speedy deterioration of the 
pastures is inevitable. 
The pamphlets written by different seed merchants are ex- 
tensively read, and the suggestions contained in them are 
adopted by the public. I will now examine the pamphlets 
of five of the leading seed merchants, and afterwards I will 
briefly notice a few of the principal other works on grasses, so 
that any who desire information may themselves refer to these 
pamphlets and books. 
Messrs. Carter's pamphlet is noticeable in this way, that, were 
their instructions carried out, it would, in my opinion, be almost 
impossible to get a permanent pasture. Under the heading of 
" Italian Rye-Grass " we find the following at page 27 ; " Italian 
rye-grass is too well known to require much description here. 
Although only a biennial we consider Italian rye-grass a most 
useful element in permanent pasture mixtures. It is of very 
quick growth, giving a good swarth to the scythe for the first 
year's hay-crop, and by reason of its rapid growth, is of consider- 
able value to the aftermath." When we consider the great 
