PASTURE GRASSES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 282, 19 June 1875, Page 2

PASTURE GRASSES.

The following is the continuation of Mr. J. D. Canning’s letter on this subject, the first portion of whichappeared in our issue of Wednesday last: — The proportions in which the seeds of the different species should be mixed for permanent pasture, are : —• Cocksfoot grass (dactylis glomerafa), 2 bushels. Meadow fescue (festuca pi atensis), 2 bushels. Meadow foxtail (alopecurus pratensis), 2 bushels. Rough-stalked meadow grass (poa trivial is) , 2 bushels. Tall oak-like soft grass (lioleus avenaceuy), | bushel. Meadow eat’s-tail (phleum pratense), 15 lbs. ... Hard >or smooth fescue (festucn durins cula vel glatira, 2 bushels. Crested dog’s-tail (cynosurus cristatus), 1 bushel. Nerved meadow grass (poa nervate), ) bushel. Wood meadowgrass (poa nemoralis), 1 bushel. Narrow-leaved meadow grass (poa august ifolia), | bushel. Broad-leaved creeping bent or florin (agrostis stonolifera t var latifolia), j bushel.

Rye grass (lolium perrenne), 1 bushel. White or Dutch clover (trifolium repens), 15 lbs. Bush vetch (vicia sepiena), I bushel. Sweet-scented vernal grass (authox anthum odoratum), | bushel. Perennial red clover (trifolium pratense pirenne), 12 lbs. Yarrow (achille millefolium) 4 lbs. . “ Baxter” states the above to be the proportion in which the seeds should be combined for six acres of land of the best quality. “ Sinclair” continues, page 248 : — ,‘ When land is to be sown for permanent pasture, no admixture of any annual or grain crop, or broad-leaved clover, should be admitted with the grass seeds. Experience proves that they are highly injurious to the intention of forming a solid productive sward, and that the profit that may accrue from a grain crop thus obtained will be much overbalanced by the loss of grain in the two following seasons. Every plant of these anntlal crops occupies a place to the detriment of the expected sward ; besides rendering the surface porous by the decay of their roots in the end of autumn ; much mischief, likewise, is done to the sward by portions of the crops being beat down by heavy rains. The above mixture should be sown in the autumn or spring, at the rate of four bushels and a half to the acre ; much less will form a good pasture, but when the seeds can be had from the farm at a moderate expense, the maximum quantity should be adopted. “ Baxter,” page 372, states ‘ For this season we have given, as above, a general rule for soils of the quality, and we shall here insert another for light sandy soils of inferior nature :—

Cocksfoot grass, 31- pecks per acre. Improved Pacey’,B or' Russell’s ryegrass, 3J do. do. Hard or smooth fescue, 2)d do. do. .Smooth meadow grass, 1 do. do. Catstail, | do. do. Sweet-scented vernal grass, I do do. Broad-leaved creeping bent or florin, i do. fid. Golden oat grass (avenaflavescens), | do. do. Crested ddgstail, | do. do. White clover, I do. do. Trefoil (mendicago enpulina), 1 do. do. * Red suckling (trefoliumminus), ido. do. —At the rate of three bushels and One peck per acre.” “ Sinclair,” pages 269 to 271— J “ Agrostis vulgaris mutica (Common bent, fine bent Grass), adapted to siliceous sandy soils. “ A given space of the above sandy soil, and another of a clayey loam, were sown with the seeds of this grass on the 20th May, 1813. The seeds vegetated and the produce was cut in the month of August following. The seeds of the creeping rooted bent (Agrostis alba) , and of the larger creeping bent or florin (agrostis stonolifera car. latifolia) were likewise sown at the same time, and treated under the same circumstances. The results were as follow:—

“ The agrostis vulgaris on the siliceous sandy soil, from the time of sowing till the produce was cut, being eleven months and five days, afforded of grass 1 oz. 12dr. From the clayey loam it afforded of grass, in the same time, loz. Bdr. “ The agrostis alba, on the siliceous sandy soil, from the time of sowing till the produce was cut, being eleven weeks and four days, afforded of grass soz. From a clayey loam it afforded of grass in the same time soz Bdr. “ The agrostis stonolifera, var. latiffii, on the siliceous sandy soil, from the time of sowing till the produce was taken, being eleven weeks and

five days, afforded of grass 5 oz. 4dr. From a clayey soil, it afforded of grass, in the same time, loz. 12dr.

“ The florin in this experiment is less productive on a clayey soil than the creeping rooted bent, and even much less on the clayey than on the sandy soil; however, though its progress be at first shown on the clayey loam, yet in the second year the pro duce from the clayey loam was exactly trippie the weight of that from the sandy soil. The florin afforded the greatest on the second and third years ; after this, unless top dressings are

applied, the produce declines. On peat soils, this effect of the fibrous surface rooted is much less. The common bent is one of the earliest of the bent grasses ; in this respect it is superior to every other of this family, but inferior to several of them in the quantity of produce it affords, and the nutritive matter it contains. It is the most common grass on natural sandy pasturesand even on more tenacious soils, that are elevated and exposed, it* is frequent.” 272. Agrostis vulgaris eattina is another variety. Results go to prove that the comparative merits of this grass are exceeded by agrostis valgaris in the nutritive matter nearly 2 to 1. As this family of grasses has been held in little esteem by farmers, principally on account of their lateness of flowering, it may be of use to bring them into one view, in the order of their early produce of herbage in the spring. The apparent Nutritire difference of powerB . time.

Agrostis vulgaris mutica dr. qr. (common bent) Middle of April 1 2f 1 Agrostis palustri (marsh bent) One week later 2 3 Agrostis stonolifera var talifolia fiorin Do. 3 2 Agrostis stonolifera var augusti folia (smaller leaved) ... Do. 3 0 Agrostis stonolifera var aristata (owned variety of creeping bent) Do. 2 6 Agrostis stonolifera varsylvatica (wood creeping bent Do. 2 0 Agrostis alba (creeping rooted bent) Do. 2 6 Agrostis nivea (snowy bent) strishodium caninum var nivea ... Do. 2 0 Agrostis lobuta (lobed bent grass) Three weeks’later 3 0 Agrostis repens (black couch bent grass ... Do. 3 0 1 Agrostis Mexieana (Mexican bent grass) ... Do. 2 » Agrostis fascicu laris (bundle leaved bent) Do. 2 » Agrostis lateriflora (branching bent grass Do. 2 »