Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-05-21
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From the American Farmer. -,
ORCHARD GRASS. M = ="

sssas aasSSAAAn7n Y ,fS t4S<AtSSs .ry4ss-EI
The followingsWe .qllpf from tho Ger
mantavna Tslsgrap i. !. 4inaeny Of lhee
value of aagrass we haRestakenI occasion
to commend. For "a .rermsnent yupland:
meadow itesis sunquest ionabl the bsst
grass now known to Installing in to- cons
alteration both hay and pas tii age. nTim.'
othy is the most popular Hay grass. and
Ihoseswho make hay FOR market musi
eoufine themselves chiefly to'tha But
for Consumption on the farm aud fol. pass
turage combined. IL does not compare
with orchard Grass. For pasturage the
latter Is tespe CHILLY valuable Il springs
early and continues late. endures drought,
and requires to be close fed TO keep is in
ordeFs With seed enough putsion "tbo'
ground, il makes close turf, and never
runs out. r-.r. ~ ..-s f2 ea'5'
let us give word of caution, howey-
ere: the seed OF orchard grass is costly
and it should not therefore be sown, exr
oept on well prepared ground in good.
condition
IL have finished perussl OF Treatise
on Grass and For ge Plants by Charles
L. Flint, Of Massachuse It's, a second edl
ton Of which | louNd had been recently
pubIised by a'News I6.k Bookseller. 1t
Is 10 my opinion an excellent little work,
which every farmer should possess HIM.
self Of and study. In connection with
the subjecI propose to give my e1perl
enee OF she value OF a,grass which i think
is not understood or appreciated by most
Of our farmers. ut is the Orchard Grass
or Rough Cocks Foot. Flint says this
grass was introduced into England from
Virginia, in I764, in which latter place it
had been cultivated for several years pre-
viously. II is now one of the most wide
ly. difused grasses in England. and is
highly priz: d there.
Orchard grass. in my experience. yields
greater amount of pasturage than any
other. and ia better suited to sustain q
drought than any other grass we are yet
seyere drought Of 1856 in this section,
my Farm Book reads as follows:
-:.July 10. Grass suffering greatly for
want ST rain" "2Oth Clover and rye
grass fields look as if fire had passed
over them" "Pasturage in these fields
quite gone" 1.-The field OF green grass
Of IS acres. but little better. affoIdiDg
seanty pasture 10 a few sheep and cows"
'!rhe Orchard grass field. of 20 acres.
supporting entirely the stock cattle. ~
head, and still looking green. and our
only dependence" at it fails US, We
must feed away the sheaf oats" II did
not fail US, but carried the cattle safely
through the drought, which was not BIO.
ken until the 18th of August, while the
same field had been ! assured during the
whole season. When the rains of Au>
gust started the other grass fields. and
we could relieve the orchard grass
from duty, it looked az il an inv aiding ar
my had passed over it. But with little
rest and few showers. in ten days it
was ready for reasonable pasturage again.
Orchard grass is of rapid growth, aud
q field we'll set with ii affords earlier and
later paSturage than any other, green
grass not excepted. When cut in bios.
som with red clover, it is said TO be an
40 admirable mixture for hay. although
Of this have no experience. For pastur>
ing, be sure 10 keep it we'll grazed. TO
prevent it from forming turfs aud run,
ming to seed. Every kind Of stock have
yet turned upon it in its green state, is
fond of it. II is lasting grass. endures
the shade we'll. and is not IS exacting ups
On the soil as either timothy or rye grass.
1t succeeds best when sown in the spring,
about the same time as clover on what
ground. say four quarts of clover. CROSS
Ing with one and half bushels of orch
ard grass to the acre. If sowed alone,
would sow two bushels to the acre.. II
may succeed in the fall on early wheat.
narrowed in very light after the wheat is
covered. For hay. cut it in blossom in
June. From the quantity OF seed requir.
ed. it is somewhat expensive at first, but
afterwards the farmer should save his
own seed himself. which is readily done.
The seed il very light, weighing about
12 to Is pounds TO the bushel.
- In my experience. the merits Of the
orchard grass can thus be summed up.
viz: Fatty and rapid growth; resistance
to drought: abundant return in pastur.
age endurance of shade and in afford.
ing earlier and later pasturage than any
other grass.
- NEWCASTLE COUNTY.