Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-02-20
agricultural,
state Board OF Agriculture.
winter Session at Parts Hili,
Jan. 33d, Iss3.

United States. annually, to be $500, 000,-
600. A neighbor OF his produces three
tons OF hay per acre. Kings County, y.
Y, produces the most hay OF any in the
State-one hundred and eighty Ions to
the hundred acres. ODondaSs County,
the & ,rden OF the State. produces but l22
IONS the hundred acres. Geo. Geddes q
ne ghbor OF has. produces two and a halt
tons per acre. Grasses vary much IN
their nutrilive value, their component
parts, and amount OF forage produced.
Some gra,sss are muscle producing,
some lat formers; some bone feeders.
Every variety OF grass was intended by
the Creator TO DC adapted 10 some useful,
beniicen; purl De; many sections are
producing grasses not adapted to them,
and would if seeded with proper varie-
ties, produce largely when compared
with The present. For every locality and
grade Of soil some variety is emiuently
adapted Recommends observations re-
garding the natural products that grow
with creates, luxuriSnce. and report 10
some respectable journal; then We shall
have reliable data from which TO work.
We should adopt botanical names, As To-
Cal names often lead 10 mistakes. Mead
ows he defines to be any land where
grass is mown On square yard OF
wet meadow. were found 80 plants q! diff
terent yarisiieS-4 were useful, and 70
were useless or weeds. On a square
yard Of dry field meadow were found 81
vaTieiies-S useful, and SO not useful. I
On square yard of moist meadow were
found - varietieS-S useful and l. use I
less. Irrigated meadows gave 400 per .
cent. mole produce Of grass than thin .
upland soils; poor clays gave % per
cent. rich loans $50 per cent. \
strong, deep. calcarsous soil resting up
on clay subsoil. is the best soil for the
production oi grass; SOW great varie-
" Of seeds, prepare the soils a. well Is
possible, and manure IS highly as prac-
ticsble. Plants DO not tolerate near
nsishbors OF their own species. Oui
soils are not covered with grass plants
thickly enough. 4 close observation
will astOnish US Al the small number OF
plants on q given nsa in our average
meadows.
Man absolutely requires mixed diet.
Il is Just SO with our animals The num-
Der OF tanners who SOW more than two
differ kinds OF grass seed. may be &c
commodated in the smallest church in our
village. Sow in boxes containing some
OF the soil where YOU are 10 seed TO grass,
and this will tell You the kind that will
flourish best Grass should 6e cut when
in the flower. as il then contains the
greatest amount of nuITiment. Grasses
that flower at different periods should not
be grown together, as there will be loss
Of lime in cutting.
The varieties should be grown suited
to the soil and climate Of each locality
Timothy, (herd. grass OF Maine) and
clover is the universal component OF hay
ground. The farmer sows these on all
soils and under all circumstances, and il
these do not produce well, he is content
ed with crop OF weeds. Tie meadows
should be so arranged on 4 farm rs 10
come successfully into maturity; this is-
cilitates the securing Of the hay crop, and
gives Us hay cut at the proper period
The grass lands on farm should be d.
vided, and sc, ded with grasses that vary
in their time OF coming into bloom. In
pastures no forage plant should ever
come into bloom; the radical leaves here
possess the greatest value. In meadows
those plants that throw up the greatest
number OF flower culms. The earliest
grass known to the world is the meadow
foX-tail. This grass cannot be eaten
down so as to iujure its productiyeness
next comes the meadow iescue, tncn Ken
tueky bluegrass, next redtop and TIM
Othy. For dry soil, tall oat grass, velvet
grass, Kentucky bluegrass and meadow
iesSue.
Why grass seeds refuse 20 grow is that
farmers will persist in narrowing in their
grass seeds They are, in many instan-
ces. covered so deeply that they never
yegitate or come; would not recommend
blowing meadows unless the object is to
deVaslate. The natural time 10 SOW seed
is when il natures. Old meadows should
be gone over with Nishwiiz Pulyerizing
Harrow, diagonally in different direc-
lions. then put in seed and fertilizers and
harrow down. This leaves the old roots
undisturbed 10 send up shoots to protect
the young shoots of the seeds. Recon-.
mended Thomas smoothing harrow rs
an excellent instrument.
Mr.. Poor. OF AndOver, inquired what
process We should take in view Of the
present situation.
Mr.. Gould replied the treatment Just
recommended wa. the best he knew:
recommended setting apart just square
rod in plat and trying the different kinds
OF fertilizers, leave one plat without much
dressing as standard. carefully noting
the effects of each manure applied. and
from this determine what is the best and
cheapest for use.
Mr.. Hersey, of Lincoln. inquired
whether the grasses mentioned by the
lecturer would. in his opinion flourish in
Naipa