sec en ba nent ei PO tt tt i at tm nS 
a a rere pI Rn aes 
NN ee ee 
110 RY EGRASS. 
ducing with long awns, I determined upon a 
fresh importation of seed direct from Italy, from 
which I have since tested the properties of the two 
varieties, both of which I have since cultivated 
with great care and attention; and I am now 
fully convinced, from every comparison I have 
made, not only of the different kinds of plants in 
different fields, but of both kinds in the same 
fields, and in every case have satisfactory proof 
that the best grass, namely, that which is the 
most productive and the most nutritive for all 
cattle, is the plant which spreads upon the 
ground, is dark-coloured, and being the produce 
of seed with short awn ; and my conclusion has 
been more fully confirmed during the past week 
by testing the varieties, both in weight and bulk, 
finding that the dark-coloured plants from the 
seed of the short-awned grass exceed both in 
weight and bulk the pale-coloured plants by 
more than 30 per cent. It will be also worthy 
the observation of those who intend to cultivate 
this grass, that if intended as a biennial or a 
perennial grass, in that case the dark-coloured is 
much preferable to the pale-coloured grass, the 
former branching and becoming thicker, and the 
latter spindling up and thus becoming thinner in 
plant every succeeding year.” 
When ryegrass seed is wanted, either a crop 
may be raised expressly for the purpose, or the 
thickest part of a hay crop may be reserved at 
the hay-season, and allowed to stand till it go 
into seed. In either case, the seeding grass must 
be cut down when the seeds are nearly ripe, and 
not allowed to stand till they are quite ripe; and 
shortly after it is mown, it must be carefully 
lifted, and tied into bundles a little smaller than 
corn sheaves. The bands used for tying should 
be made either of the grass itself, or of hay 
twisted into ropes. The sheaves are then stooked 
in the same manner as corn, for the purpose of 
AAAI RBI D ODIO NID OPIOID DAI 
SACCHARUM. 
drying; after which the ground is carefully 
raked, and the hay thus collected made into 
small cocks. When the sheaves have become 
sufficiently dry, they may be carried to the stack- 
yard, and built in a small stack, well ventilated 
by means of a funnel up the centre, which admits 
a free current of air, the seed being thrashed 
out in spring and prepared for sowing. But the 
preferable practice is to separate the seed from 
the stalks as soon as the latter have become suf- 
ficiently dry for the purpose, both because the 
hay is rendered almost useless by being stacked 
up with the seed, and thrashed in spring when 
it is very brittle, and because the seed itself is 
more liable to heat in the stack than in the 
granary, where it can be noticed and turned 
over as often as necessary. The thrashing, which 
is always done with a light flail, may be per- 
formed in the field, and the hay made into cocks 
for further drying; or the ryegrass may be carted 
to the stackyard, and there thrashed on a strong 
door, placed upon a winnow cloth, similar to that 
used in rippling flax. The seed is then conveyed 
in sacks to the granary, and laid thinly on the 
floor to dry. It is to be regularly turned over 
at least once a day to prevent fermentation, the 
least degree of which would be fatal to the vegeta- 
tive powers of the seed. When sufficiently dry, it 
may be winnowed, measured, again spread rather 
thickly on the granary floor, and protected from 
the depredations of vermin. The seed is again 
slightly winnowed in spring immediately before 
being required for use, to free it of dust and all 
impurities. When ryegrass is cultivated expressly 
for seed, from 25 to 30 bushels are often obtained 
per acre. The hay is of course of an inferior 
quality, and the land considerably exhausted in 
consequence of allowing the crop to mature its 
seeds. 
RYELAND SHEEP. See Suunp. 
LILI III LOLOL III DLS 
S| 
SABAL. A genus of small, beautiful, tropical 
palms. Five species of it occur in the palm- 
houses of Britain. It is nearly allied to the 
genus Corypha. See the article Fan-Paum. 
SABBATIA. A genus of ornamental, herba- 
ceous plants, of the gentian family. Several spe- 
cies, principally biennials of from 6 to 15 inches 
in height, with red or purple flowers, have been 
introduced to Britain from North America; and 
will thrive on any common garden soil. 
SACCHAROMETER. An instrument for as- 
certaining the proportion of sugar which any 
liquid contains. It is useful in brewing and 
wine-making and similar processes. A number 
of kinds of it, and also a number of substitutes 
for it, are in use. The practical point is simply 
to determine the specific gravity of the wort or 
other liquid. 
SACCHARUM. The sugar cane genus of 
grasses. It belongs to the villiflorous tribe; but 
has a structure and habit similar to the reeds. 
About 10 or 12 species of it have been intro- 
duced, as curiosities, to the hothouse collections 
of Britain; and at least 20 other species are 
eee 
