The Grasses.—More than one-half the area of Great Britain and Ireland is under pasture; the grasses, therefore, constitute the most important and abundant food used by live stock. The composition of the natural and artificial grasses is greatly influenced by the nature of the soil on which they are grown, and by the climatic conditions under which they are developed. Many of them are almost worthless, whilst others possess a high nutritive value. Amongst the most useful natural grasses may be enumerated Italian rye-grass, Meadow barley, Annual Meadow-grass, Crested dogstail-grass, Cocksfoot-grass, Timothy or Meadow catstail-grass, and Sweet vernal-grass. Amongst grasses of medium quality I may mention common Oatlike-grass, Meadow foxtail grass, Smooth and rough stalked Meadow-grass, and Waterwhorl-grass. There are very many grasses which are almost completely innutritious, and which ought, under no circumstances, to be tolerated, although too often they make up the great bulk of the herbage of badly-managed meadows and pastures. Such grasses are, the Meadow soft-grass, Creeping soft-grass, False brome-grass, and Upright brome-grass. The rough-stalked Meadow-grass, though spoken favorably of by some farmers, is hardly worthy of cultivation, and the same may be said of many of the grasses which have a place in our meadows and pastures. (See "Analyses of Natural Grasses in a Fresh State, by Dr. Voelcker," on next page.)

The Schræder brome is a perennial lately introduced into France. It is described as an exceedingly valuable forage crop, and one which is admirably adapted for the feeding of dairy cows. It would be desirable to give it a trial in these countries. The composition (which is very peculiar) of this plant is stated to be as follows, when dry:—

ANALYSIS OF SCHRÆDER BROME HAY.
Water 16·281
Nitrogenous matters 23·443
Fat 3·338
Starch gum, &c. 22·549
Cellulose (fibre) 19·843
Ashes 14·546
————
Total 100·000

ANALYSES OF NATURAL GRASSES IN A FRESH STATE, BY DR. VOELCKER.
Water.Albuminous or
Flesh-forming
Principles.		Fatty
Matters.		Respiratory
Principles:
Starch, Gum,
Sugar.		Woody
Fibre.		Mineral
Matter
or Ash.		Date of
Collection.
Anthoxanthum odoratum—Sweet-scented vernal grass 80·35 2·00 ·67 8·54 7·15 1·24May 25
Alopecurus pratensis—Meadow foxtail grass 80·20 2·44 ·52 8·59 6·70 1·55June 1
Arrhenatherum avenaceum—Common oat-like grass 72·65 3·54 ·87 11·21 9·37 2·36July 17
Avena flavescens—Yellow oat-like grass 60·40 2·96 1·04 18·66 14·22 2·72June 29
Avena pubescens—Downy oat-grass 61·50 3·07 ·92 19·16 13·34 2·01July 11
Briza media— Common quaking grass 51·85 2·93 1·45 22·60 17·00 4·17June 29
Bromus erectus—Upright brome grass 59·57 3·78 1·35 33·192·11 " 23
Bromus mollis—Soft brome grass 76·62 4·05 ·47 9·04 8·46 1·36 May 8
Cynosurus cristatus—Crested dogstail grass 62·73 4·13 1·32 19·64 9·80 2·38June 21
Dactylus glomerata—Cocksfoot grass 70·00 4·06 ·94 13·30 10·11 1·54 " 13
Ditto, seeds ripe 52·57 10·93 ·74 12·61 20·54 2·61July 19
Festuca duriuscula—Hard fescue grass 69·33 3·70 1·02 12·46 11·83 1·66June 13
Holcus lanatus—Soft meadow grass 69·70 3·49 1·02 11·92 11·94 1·93 " 29
Hordeum pratense—Meadow barley 58·85 4·59 ·94 20·05 13·03 2·54July 11
Lolium perenne—Darnel grass 71·43 3·37 ·91 12·08 10·06 2·15June 8
Lolium italicum—Italian rye-grass 75·61 2·45 ·80 14·11 4·82 2·21 " 13
Phleum pratense—Meadow catstail grass 57·21 4·86 1·50 22·85 11·32 2·26
Poa annua—Annual meadow grass 79·14 2·47 ·71 10·79 6·30 ·59 May 28
Poa pratensis—Smooth-stalked meadow grass 67·14 3·41 ·86 14·15 12·49 1·95June 11
Poa trivialis—Rough-stalked ditto 73·60 2·58 ·97 10·54 10·11 2·20 " 18
Grass from water meadow 87·58 3·22 ·81 3·98 3·13 1·28Apr. 30
Ditto, second crop 74·53 2·78 ·52 11·17 8·76 2·24June 26
Annual rye-grass 69·00 2·96 ·69 12·89 12·47 1·99 " 8
Most of the grasses here mentioned were analysed when in flower.

Tussac Grass (Dactylis cæspitus) is recommended as an excellent plant to grow on very poor, wet, or mossy soils.[!--25--][25] It is an evergreen grass, somewhat resembling coltsfoot. It is relished by cattle.

ANALYSIS OF TUSSAC GRASS BY JOHNSTONE.
Lower part. Upper part.
Water 86·09 75·17
Flesh-formers 2·47 4·79
Sugar, gum, &c. 4·62 6·81
Woody fibre (with a little albumen) 5·68 11·86
Ash 1·14 1·37
———— ————
Total 100·00 100·00

The "artificial grasses" embrace the clovers, vetches, lucerne, and a few other plants, some of which are seldom cultivated.

ANALYSES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF CLOVER, BY DR. ANDERSON.
Per-centage in the Fresh Clover.Per-centage in Dry Clover.
Water.Dry
Substances.		Ash.Nitrogenised
Substances.		Ash.Nitrogenised
Matters.
Red clover—Trifolium pratense:
1. From English seed 85·30 14·70 1·30 2·31 8·90 15·87
2. From German seed (from the Rhine) 81·68 18·32 1·49 2·81 8·15 15·50
3. From French seed 83·51 16·49 1·95 2·25 11·82 13·56
4. From American seed 79·98 21·02 1·58 2·87 8·05 ...
5. From Dutch seed ... ... ... ... 8·82 12·43
Cowgrass—Trifolium medium:[!--26--][26]
Variety, Duke of Norfolk 77·39 22·61 2·73 2·25 12·09 10·19
Variety, common 81·76 18·24 1·92 3·19 10·53 14·37
Crimson clover—Trifolium incarnatum:
From French seed 82·56 17·44 1·88 3·25 10·81 18·56
Yellow clover—Medicago lupulina:
From English seed 77·38 22·62 2·02 3·50 8·95 15·44
From French seed 78·60 21·40 1·75 2·94 8·18 13·69