Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-08-12

The leading crop of the American farmer
is grass. Either in the form of pasture or
meadow, the various grasses, including clio
yer (which is not grass according to the bot
anist), furnish an amount Of food that could
not well be supplied in any other way. We
are sometimes inclined to overlook the impor-
lance of the grasses, because they are, as such,
so little represented in the markets. There
is much truth in the biblical expression, "All
flesh is grass, and likewise not only the va
rious meats used for home consumption and
to 20 abroad to feed the hungry of other ma
tons, but also all other products Of farm ami
mails are largely due to the growth of grass.
Wool can be considered as the product of the
pasture and the meadow, and as for milk and
butter they are still more directly the con-
densed forms of grasses.
The farmer that would DO successful must
keep sharp eye upon his land that is down
to grass. II il yields him good crop of hay,
or furnishes a rich pasture for his animals, he
may be quite sure he is on the road to success.
On the other hand, if the meadow is light and
the pasture furnishes only scanty picking
there is little hope that the year will be prof
liable one. Look well TO the grass land.
The number of kinds.o grasses that it is
profitable to grow is quite large, some of
them being better suited for one set of con-
ditions of soil, climate, ETC., while others
thrive best when the circumstances are quite
the opposite. A grass that is now attracting
considerable attention, and is worthy of still
more is the orchard grass (dactyliS gi0merd.
ta). This grass is generally known in Eng
land as "'cocks-foot," and the seed is sold as
such in foreign seed stores 1t is not native
of our country, but comes to us from Europe.
It was brought from England in colonial
times, SO that it is an old guest, aud is in fact
al Of hs.r,, boo. Nh,N, Ill n
regular resident-a welcome member of our
group of valuable grasses. This orchard
grass was so successful in its growth in Vir-
gina in the early days that its seed was taken
back to England as orchard grass in 76i, and
thus q new and increased interest was created
in it under its new name. Since that time
the culture of orchard grass has largely in
creased, and il now holds high rank as an
agricultural fodder plant.
One of our leading authorities on grasses
writes of the orchard grass as follows: "We
may say that we know of no other grass-not
even the universally cultivated timothy-so
well deserving the attention of our farmers,
for both hay and pasturage, as orchard grass.
1t adapts itself to all varieties of soil its
stems are very leafy it does well in the
shade of trees it gives IA heavy aftermath,
and it is in its best condition, in blossom, al
the same time as red clo~er; all of these be
ing in its favor as a meadow grass. For pas
lures it is quite as valuable, starting quite
carly in spring, pushing new growth very
rapidly after it has been grazed over, lasting
late in the fall, and enduring drouth. better
than almost any other There are some OBJ
jections to the orchard grass 1t has ten
dency to grow in tussocks, thus giving an un
oven surface to the meadow or pasture. The
plants have n weak hold upon the soil, tn,
roots not being large or deep. On this accoun
the grass is sometimes pulled up by the root
as it is being fed upon by cattle. Thick seed
ing will overcome, very largely, the first oh
| lection, and the second can be remedied by
rolling early in the spring, as soon as the gras
starts, and also by not turning cattle upon tn,
seeded land until the roots have made gooC
growth. 1t should not be pastured the frs
season. Like timothy, the seed Of the or
chard grass may be sown with the grain crop
either in spring or fall. Two bushels of seet
per acre is little enough, using about - lbs
of clover seed with it.-C0r. Country Gentle
| man.