The Portland daily press., 1878-05-29
AGRICULTURAL.
suitable Grasses for D,aaren, sell,


The different soils require different grasses
Clay soil is adapted to timothy, and will grow
the clovers well, notably the white clover,
which is native to it, and which may be de-
veloped readily by gypsum. The best practice
is to sow two or three parts OF timothy to one
clover, the latter the medium kind, and SOW
without the grain, as the young grass will
need all the strength left in the soil, and usu-
ally more. This will form crop the same
season, aud two the next. 1t should be cut
the first time 1.-THE second season. when the
clover is 10 bloom, which finds the timothy
heading out, making clean, tender hay of
the grass without the Objectionable fertihzing
dust which accompanies the later cutting.
The next crop will be of aftermath, OF a bet
ter quality still. At the same time the land is
greatly improved both in texture and fertility.
Gypsum should always accompany this crop
and be sown early in the season so as to get
the winter moisture and early rains to dis
solve it. Fields that are moist, as clay soil
often is, will do well with timothy aud redtop
mixed, and if the land is rich, especially land
between hills, that receives their washings, it
will yield immense crops, and this year after
year, for an indefinite length of time with the
latter. aud with the former for long time if
the fall growth is left for rejection and for
pabulum in the spring. The roughsh meadow
grass PoG triUtdLis) finds also home here
To apply these grasses aud Others like them
to sandy soil is in general to fail. There are
exceptions where the land is rich and the
season moist, but then other grasses will do
better, among which the orchard grass
(DactyHs glomerdtd) leads; this whether for
pasture or hay.
But orchard grass has this objection Ito
many that it requires not only itch, but
very rich soil, and then there is no grass that
pays better for the outlay, allowing of three
or four cuttings in season, in the form of
aftermath, for it should be cut before the
stalk pushes up. For grazing it is, if any
thing, still better, affordiDg, in consequence
of its rapid growth, fresh, tender heritage,
pushing forth an inch day. Perhaps no
grass withstands the drought so well, which
hts it all the more for sandy soil, its long
and many roots penetrating deep. The sweet
scented vernal grass may also be put here.
Ii makes long season, coming early and
staying late, and growing rapidly and luxuri-
antly. Both of these grasses are adapted to
our rich river soils, if not too low to be
affected by the water. Our limestone soil is
among the best and most lasting, producing
abundantly almost all kinds of forage crops.
But it grows most royalty its favorite Pud
prdtensis, misnamed blue grass, only, how
ever, when the land is rich aud well drained,
and perhaps nowhere so well as in the West.
Our shales are good or poor according to the
rock from which they are formed. The Utica
slate makes an excellent soil, the Marcellus
poor one. What favors our shales is their
generally excellent drainage, which fits
them to grow clover well, and, with manure
and good culture, most of our dry. soil plans,
but less largely and proftably than they are
produced on the soils TO which they are spec
Tally adapted. Millet and Indian corn may
be prohtaby grown here for fodder. In order
to secure high success frequent manuring
must be resoited to, on account of the leachy
al,ara a4n - Ill