536
turcd, and never allowed to rise to the scythe, he can give nocertain account of the success of the experiment.
On one occasion, which came within the reporter’s know-ledge, a respectable farmer, when laying down a considerablefield for permanent pasture, added a proportion of the seedof chicory to the ordinary mixture of rye-grass and clover.His chief object was to secure a sufficient stock of artificialherbage for full pasture, till the field might stock out abun-dantly with natural grasses, which always sooner or latertake possession of the soil, to the exclusion of a part or thewhole of the cultivated herbage. In this solitary experiment,the chicory plants grew vigorously, and were liked by thelive-stock, being equally eaten with the other plants in thefield, and remained at least in the third year of the pasture.The farmer was disposed to have extended the practice overhis farm, but was prevented in consequence of the seed ha-ving become scarce and enormously dear. Another objectionto the culture of this plant, (which is certainly abundant inpoint of produce), is, that it is so difficult to eradicate.
Very marked attention is, or ought always to be given tothe quality of grass seeds. Within the last twenty years avariety of rye-grass has been introduced into Scotland , whichbeing an annual plant , grows only for one year. There beingno external mark or criterion by which the seed of this varietycan be distinguished from that which is permanent or peren-nial, it is highly incumbent on all farmers, to be exceedinglycareful in purchasing ryc-grass seed from persons of character,on whom they can depend, especially when the land is intend-ed to remain in grass for more than one year. Annual rye-grass seed looks well, and even produces, for one year, a cropperhaps superior to the perennial; but it never springs againfrom the root. Its introduction has been the occasion of muchserious loss and disappointment, more especially when fieldswere laid down with the view of continuing in grass for theremainder of a lease. On such occasions, the farmer oughtto be particularly attentive to provide himself certainly with