PERENNIAL RYE DISCARDED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 43, 14 November 1907, Page 2

PERENNIAL RYE DISCARDED.

BIENNIAL ITALIAN RYE SUPERIOR. A LINCOLN COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. Some interesting grass tests have heen conducted—and are still proceeding at Lin,coln Agricultural College. Speaking of the tests with a Dominion representative rccontly, Mr. W. Lowrio, the director of the College, said that as a result of the tests he had practically dropped perennial rye grass, and had substituted the biennial form of Italian rye. "On our good land," ho said, "at all events the Italian rye gives good pasture for three years, which is long enough for my purpose. And it far exceeds the perennial in tho early spring feed that it affords, and in the bulk of the grazing it supplies just at a timo of tho year—July, August, and . September—when grazing is most valuable. The perennial.pomes in later—pretty well into September. Then the practice.that has come into- prevalence of stripping seed from young grasses has resulted in there being on the market, as far as my exporionco goes, perennial rye grass seed that is an abomination.' It is practically an annual. It is a surface feeder, and feels tho drought very fuickly. AVo want to' make more uso of talian rye grass for rotation culture, and more use of tho best permanent grasses, such as' Timothy, cocksfoot, crested dogstail, for lands that we want to lio flown longer. Italian rye grass lasts practically as long aa the perennial rye grass that you buy on the market." ' , ■