13 APRIL 1929, Page 14

THE POPULAR LEY.

In British farming, owing to the bad times, the word ley (which seems to be scarcely knownto urban folk) is taking on a new importaiiee. Only sonie soils will grow good permanent grass, but most soils will carry temporarily a crop of special grasses and clovers. Farmer after farmer, in Ireland as in England, is sowing these lys; Which may 'endure for five years or so, in the immediate hope of gOod hay and thereafter of less labour._ He thus reduces expenditure and is ready fora return to grain farming if it ever pays again, for the ley is the best of all preparations for -corn. An immense amount of scientific work has been spent on ley mixtures, and with the best results.' Another piece of evidence of the spread of agricultural science among fainiers is that considerable numbers now inoculate their incero with the bacterial'culinres sent out in little -phials according to the Rothamsted receipt. The efficacy of the culture (a good word in this connexion) in multiplying the beneficent bacteria is now beyond dispute, at any rate in certain soils and conditions.