The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-09-01
.9upud, 1919.

stHSHNt ibtb.
D,or Sir--Yours Of the 9Th nit. be-. hetr
received, and take pleasure in romplviag
with yoar request in giving you my views
in relation 10 he most valuable grasses cult
waited IN this ueighbourhood. with mv opinion
a, to those bestad pied TO your sol and cil.
uale. ard the probability OF your success in
Al attempt 70 grow them"
For The last eight or ten yeats boih mvsell
and my neighbours, many OF whom arc "A.
mongst the most scientific, practical. aud oh
erVtnt farmers IN oar state, have bestowed
lpch attention and been al some expense in
he election AID cultivation OF those grasses
generally esteemed The most valuable aud NJ
fer 4 tair and full experiment of all such with
! u our reacb, We have been led 10 the co1clu-
SION that the orchard grass (Dartyis Glomera-
'a) combines more valuable properties and
rnssrssrs superior advantages 10 any other /.
is about ten years since the orchard grass va,
Introduced into my neghhoThoud, andihe cA-
! pcrience OF every year increases our opinion
| offs value. or y0uT inprmali"n will now
| state some of hose valuable properties which
induce us TO give Il hr preferences TO any o..
| her. The orchard gras' gtoWs rapidly and
luuru soils toe much exhausted 10 bring clov-
pr il rp-ists tb, tnaf and lie tooth aud hear.
/ the fr9s,- oi oar winters aud the drought Of
our Summers hetfer than any other tom tn,
| cirrnmsfance it aIlord- the enilrst aad latrst
pasturage it is amongst he me- nutrition.
food Tor taltening cattle and Tor milch cow
Tor sheep pasture il Is unequsiled, rs even iu
our climate il affords an abundant bite
throughout the winter; indeed hpr~ for ma.
ny years past supported my flock OF sneep
upln II exclusively, never giving them n
mouhful of any other food, except when n
fall of SHOW rendered II inaccessible to them
aud have in the months ot February ard
March killed rs fine Tat mniton of ms orchard
/ gra fields as Vou could desire TO see this
grass possesses the rPmart able peculiarly q,
that il does not like the second growth oil ev-
cry other gTase, ranse that excessive low OF
.aiiya which j. 81 debilIatIns to horses aud
other ssprks for aud intended Tor permanent
posture, | should prefer II To any other, rs !
have never hat occasion To renew held
which had been once sown with il while clio
vcr, timothy, and believe every other grass
rrqlired n be- rem wed every few wears in
decd from the following fact, ! should con
clude that II wonid never q, farmers saw RIM
out. Nearly thirty wears agoa lot nrar ILL.,
COTS mills was soWa with orchard grass, and
for several wears htie crops OF hay were cut
frnin Il however, BON neglect, the trncing
got on Of repair, AMI the lot was turned out
/ into the common. expOsrd to the whole stock
/ OF he vii age for number ri years the pro-
i nt!tfor again took tie management Of he pro-
/ prr'v, n fey vesr7 ago. aud without sowing q
grain of seed, has snnHally cut GUr aud lea
w crops 81 hay from it For nav il is thought
| 10 he n l~asl equalt timothy, which has gen
crafty bepu esteemed cur he-i grass. Judge
Peter Of Philadelphia CHE president Of the
/ Philndaphia Agricultural Society whom
Won no doabr knoN ~ character, who has cnl-
,ivated il for nearly forty years. thinks it d.
dpdle superior Ia timothy, and gives il The
/ preference 10 all others. Notwithstanding
The well known prejudice Of agriculfnralisis
against all Innovations upon long established
Iprac'iee, andlher almost unconGnerehle re-
pusnance to every thing ike Improvement
we Gld that tie reputation OF this grass eur