SEEDS FOR HAY AND PASTURE. AS? 


These results confirm the estimates made in the beginning 
of June. It will thus be seen that in the first year the seeds 
mixture sown on Plot 1 has given the most satisfactory 
result, and the quality of the herbage was distinctly better 
than on Plot 2, where, to the same mixture, burnet, chicory, 
yarrow, and kidney vetch had been added. The results so 
far go to show that, on this land, it is not advisable to 
include.these plants in a seeds mixture. It was also 
evident that timothy grass was especially suitable for this 
heavy soil. It should be noted-also that the more expensive 
seeds mixture on Plot 7, which practically excludes perennial 
ryegrass, has given a very unsatisfactory result in the 
first year, the results on Plot 1, which is less expensive, and 
includes a good deal of perennial ryegrass being much more 
satisfactory. 
The experiments at East Thorpe, Reading, are being 
conducted on a piece of land on the left hand side of the 
Redlands Road, lying on the valley gravel. The soil is a 
free, rather gravelly loam, and, as it had been a market 
garden before commencing the experiments, it is in fairly 
good condition. Oats were sown on the plots in the spring 
of 1899, immediately after which the grass seeds were sown. 
The young seeds looked very well on all the plots after the 
oats had been harvested in the autumn of 1899. 
Each plot was divided into two halves, which were placed 
at different parts of the experimental ground, so that any 
inequality of the soil might be equalised as far as possible. 
The plots were inspected on May 31, 1900. At that time 
on Plot 1 the crop was light, of a light colour, and with few 
clover plants. Plot 2 was similar, but the chicory plants were 
strong and coarse, yarrow was fair, there was no kidney 
vetch, but a few strong plants of burnet. Plot 3 at that time 
looked the poorest, while Plot 4 was very much like Plot 2. 
Plot 5 at this time looked best both as to quantity and quality 
of herbage; the herbage was of a darker colour and was more 
even than that on the others. On Plot 6 the herbage was 
not so even, while the sainfoin plants were few and weak. 
On Plot 7 the strong grasses, especially cocksfoot, were well 
represented, but clovers.were scarce. 
