Grasses.
| Alopecurus pratensis | Meadow foxtail. |
| Anthoxanthum odoratum | Sweet vernal grass. |
| Avena elatior | Tall oat-grass. |
| Avena flavescens | Golden oat-grass. |
| Cynosurus cristatus | Crested dogstail. |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cocksfoot. |
| Festuca duriuscula | Hard fescue. |
| Festuca elatior | Tall fescue. |
| Festuca ovina | Sheep’s fescue. |
| Festuca pratensis | Meadow fescue. |
| Lolium italicum | Italian ryegrass. |
| Phleum pratense | Timothy or catstail. |
| Poa nemoralis | Wood meadow-grass. |
| Poa pratensis | Smooth meadow-grass. |
| Poa trivialis | Rough meadow-grass. |
Clovers, &c.
| Medicago lupulina | Trefoil or “Nonsuch.” |
| Medicago sativa | Lucerne (Alfalfa). |
| Trifolium hybridum | Alsike clover. |
| Trifolium pratense | Broad red clover. |
| Trifolium pratense | Perennial clover. |
| Trifolium perennne | |
| Trifolium incarnatum | Crimson clover or “Trifolium.” |
| Trifolium procumbens | Yellow Hop-trefoil. |
| Trifolium repens | White or Dutch clover. |
| Achillea Millefolium | Yarrow or Milfoil. |
| Anthyllis vulneraria | Kidney-vetch. |
| Lotus major | Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil. |
| Lotus corniculatus | Lesser Birdsfoot Trefoil. |
| Carum petroselinum | Field parsley. |
| Plantago lanceolata | Plantain. |
| Cichorium intybus | Chicory. |
| Poterium officinale | Burnet. |
The predominance of any particular species is largely determined by climatic circumstances, the nature of the soil and the treatment it receives. In limestone regions sheep’s fescue has been found to predominate; on wet clay soil the dog’s bent (Agrostis canina) is common; continuous manuring with nitrogenous manures kills out the leguminous plants and stimulates such grasses as cocksfoot; manuring with phosphates stimulates the clovers and other legumes; and so on. Manuring with basic slag at the rate of from 5 to 10 cwt. per acre has been found to give excellent results on poor clays and peaty soils. Basic slag is a by-product of the Bessemer steel process, and is rich in a soluble form of phosphate of lime (tetra-phosphate) which specially stimulates the growth of clovers and other legumes, and has renovated many inferior pastures.
In the Rothamsted experiments continuous manuring with “mineral manures” (no nitrogen) on an old meadow has reduced the grasses from 71 to 64% of the whole, while at the same time it has increased the Leguminosae from 7% to 24%. On the other hand, continuous use of nitrogenous manure in addition to “minerals” has raised the grasses to 94% of the total and reduced the legumes to less than 1%.
As to the best kinds of grasses, &c., to sow in making a pasture out of arable land, experiments at Cambridge, England, have demonstrated that of the many varieties offered by seedsmen only a very few are of any permanent value. A complex mixture of tested seeds was sown, and after five years an examination of the pasture showed that only a few varieties survived and made the “sole” for either grazing or forage. These varieties in the order of their importance were:—
| Cocksfoot | 26 |
| Perennial rye grass | 16 |
| Meadow fescue | 13 |
| Hard fescue | 9 |
| Crested dogstail | 8 |
| Timothy | 6 |
| White clover | 4 |
| Meadow foxtail | 2 |
The figures represent approximate percentages.
Before laying down grass it is well to examine the species already growing round the hedges and adjacent fields. An inspection of this sort will show that the Cambridge experiments are very conclusive, and that the above species are the only ones to be depended on. Occasionally some other variety will be prominent, but if so there will be a special local reason for this.