Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-22
JOHNsBURY, FRIDAY, 1874.

sea-girt isle, where IL is much more widely
knewn than in this country, another proof
that any article "far-fetched and dear
bought" has the best chance Of winning fa-
vor aud renown. II is particularly as pas
ture grass that il has won its laurels, ex-
perienced feeders asserting that it will make
good pastursge after Eve days rest, and
its exceeding earliness makes il valuable for
those short Of hay IN the spring | have
cut tufts Of il in early spring. grown 10 a
warm situation, which would average nine
inches in length, while the remnants OF snow
drifts were still in sight. In many sections
of our country it is common TO SOW timothy
and clover upon the same piece Of ground,
but difficulty in harvest has been found
when thus grown together, for the reason
that the clover is in full bloom, and requires
to be cut some time before the timothy is
sufficiently mature for the mower Now, If
we substitute orchard grass for timothy, we
shall find that the orchard grass and clover
are in bloom at the same time, affording the
best possible results.
The late Judge Buel says of orchard
grass al should prefer it TO almost every
ObntI MIuHat anu COWH gNo NNIy lOhu VI ".
Mr.. Sandsrsga wsil-kBOwn practical farmer
and cattle breeder Of Kentucky, says -
"My observation and experience have in-
duced me to rely mainly on orchard grass
and red clover; indeed, now SOW no other
kind of grass seed" 1t will be we'll to reo-
ollect, in this connection, that Kentucky is
the home Of the blue grass which has so
deservedly good reputation. The late
Col. Powell, of Pennsylvania, after grow
ing orchard grass for ten years, declares
that "it produces more pasturage than any
other grass he has seen in America" Mr..
Geddes, the well-known farmer of Ononda.
ga County, New York, gave his experience
in raising orchard grass in the New York
Tribune about year since, giving it very
well-deserved recommendation. But il
would occupy too much time to quote more
authorities here. 1t is sufficient TO say that
all agree that the orchard grass starts very
early in the spring; stands drouth exceeding
ly well grows very rapidly; must bC
cropped closely; it is very nutritious; IL
very. palatable to stock; it will make con
tinuous meadow. The writer has a strip Of
orchard grass about six feet wide aud thirty
rods long, which serves as border to q
buck-thOru hedge. 1t was seeded 6fteeI
years since, and is still very productive.
According to the analyses of twenty-thre'
varieties, made by Prof. Way, Chemist o
the Royal Agricultural Society orchar,
grass exceeded all, except two, in album
nous or Aesh-fOrming principles, aud thes
two exceeded orchard grass only by smal
fraction of one per cent.
This is not the grass for the lazy farme
or the always.behind-hand stock-groweI
Orchard grass pastures must be cropped b.
the stock, with only intermlssiOns Of five 0
ten days, or what is better, perhaps, KEEP
constantly short. Orchard grass must b
cut for hay very early; for, if left to forr
seed, the stem becomes woody and the leave
very rough, and although at this stage @
growth it contains, according to Prof. Way
over ten per cent. of albuminous or flesh
forming principle, yet | think the averag
stock would grow poor with the labor Of. ez
tracing the nutrition. la conclusion
would advise every thrifty, gO.ahead farme
to try small area of orchard grass; but
} you are slow boat, slip-shod, always b
hind-hand farmer, let 1t alone severely
w. Sylvester.