Becent Hxpeviences in layhig down Land to Grass, 135 
\_For Schedule of Questions, see page 12G,] 
Mr. John Colemax — continued. 
3. About 26 inches per annum, with cold backward springs; otherwise 
tolerably equable, as the farm is situated in the great valley of York. 
4. A selection of my own comprising ; 
lbs. 
Cocksfoot . 
Catstail . 
Italian ryegrass 
Perennial ryegrass 
Meadow fescue 
Meadow foxtail 
Hard fescue . . 
Perennial red clover 
Alsike , , , 
White clover . , 
Trefoil . 
Cowgrass 
lbs. 
1 
2 
2 
2 
1 
3 
5. Yes ; 2 lbs. Italian, 4 lbs. perennial : such was ordered, but the ex- 
traordinary predominance of the ryegrasses iu the first crop of hay led me to 
imagine that I had been imposed upon by the seedsman, and I accordingly for- 
warded a collection of the grasses in flower to Mr. Carruthers. Of course this 
was a very rough method of ascertaining the proportion of the various grasses 
in the crop. Mr. Carruthers' report was so interesting that I append it : — 
■ - " The seeds ordered should 
give the following pro- 
portion of germiuating 
seeds. 
Per cent. 
. 6 
. 3 
" Perennial ryegrass . 
Italian ryegrass 
Eed clover and cowgrass . 8 
Alsike .... 9 
Trefoil : . . . 2 
White clover . . .8 
Timothy . . . .30 
Black grass , . .0 
Yorkshire fog . . .0 
Cocksfoot . . .23 
Meadow fescue . . 3 
Hard fescue . . ,4 
Foxtail . . . . 4 
The sample of the crop 
examined gives tlie 
following proportion 
of plants. 
Tcr cent. 
. 55 
. 7 
. 19 
. 5 
. 5 
. 4 
. 1 
. 3 
. 1 
. 0 
. 0 
. 0 
. 0 
100 seeds. 
100 plants." 
6. The grass was sown in a crop of wheat which was not very thick on 
the ground. The spring was very favourable for growth, and after the 
corn was removed, the surface was found to be very thickly covered with 
clover and grasses. The seeds were drilled across the corn by a small seed- 
drill which places the rows about 4 or 5 inches apart. 
7. On soils and iu a climate such as I am describing, I am quite sure 
that spring sowing in a moderately thin corn crop is decidedly the best 
plan ; as the young seeds are sheltered from drought, and risk of frost is 
avoided. 
8. In this particular case, the seeds were so luxuriant that a crop of 
hay, over 2 tons per acre, was made, and a second crop was cut in August 
for silage and green food for the horses. As far as I can judge, this treat- 
ment, severe as it appears, was not injurious on this strong land, probably 
resulting in a larger root-growth than would have been the case if the seeds 
had been grazed by sheep. If the soil had been of a light nature, I should 
most certainly have preferred grazing the seeds with lambs and young 
cattle, and in the autumn of the second year applying a dressing of well- 
made farmyard manure, carefully spread. In the spring of the second 
year the field was divided into two ecjual portions, one half was grazed by 
