The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-07-05
farm aud Garden.
The Best Grasses.

hinder all circumstances. When a farmer
restricted by certain necessities to one
grass, he must choose the variety which
best under the special conditions to
(which he is.subject. There are cases in
which the common marsh sedge is the
best grass that can be grown, because it
lis of some considerable value, and no bet
ter grass would grow where this would
thrive luxuriantly and produce large
quantity of hay But if the swamp
meadow, where this sedge thrives, were
drained it would be great waste and
foolish management to leave this coarse
plant to occupy the ground where red
top, or even timothy, or still more
valuable mixture of grasses would thrive.
In like manner it is the farmers business
to learn what varieties of grasses there
are that he can choose from, the special
values of them, and the peculiar condi-
tons under which they can best be
grown. For if one cannot enjoy the
best, he must be satisfied with the second
or the next best, but if he can have a
better than he has it is his duty and adj
vantage to have it. Grasses must be
considered in regard to their nutritive
value first, then in regard to their adap
tation to soils, and then in respect of
their adaptation to special purposes.
The most valuable grass for hay is
timothy, and especially when it is mixed
with clover; in the first case it is the best
feed for horses, and in the second case,
for cows This grass will thrive upon
any kind of soil that is not too wet or
too dry and is sufficiently rich 1t
grows best upon a moist, rich loan abun-
dainty mixed with organic matter. A
newly cleared, moist woodland, or a
drained and reclaimed marsh, produces
enormous crops of it, and six tons of hay
to the acre has been well-authenticated
yield upon such lands. But it is not an
early grass, and has the disadvantage,
when grown with clover, that it is not
ready for cutting until the clover is past
its prime, and so something must be lost
upon one hand or the other when these
are grown together. 1t does not sue
coed well upon sandy soils, unless they
are unusually well MANFRED, and even
then will suffer in dry season. 1t has
also the habit of growing in punches or
stools, unless very thickly sown, and so
producing a poor sod for pasture
Orchard-grass is very nearly equal to
timothy in nutritious value 1t is more
valuable than timothy on light, dry soils,
and 1T has the merit of coming into bios
som with red clover, and thus furnishing
mixture for hay that cannot be ex-
celled IN this respect. Its earliness,
when sown alone, gives it an opportunity
of making a good growth for a second
cutting, which yields at least half full
crop, or furnishes an excellent pasture.
which is much relished by COWS, horses,
or sheep. 1t grows in stools, and very
thick seeding is necessary to get close
sod, If indeed this is possible by any
means. When grown with clover it
covers the ground as well as timothy,
and is more permanent grass than this,
continuing to grow for many years and
yielding two cuttings every season. For
green soiling there is no earlier grass it
IS the first green thing to start in the
spring, and will afford a bite or a cutting
before any other.
The Red-top is an excellent grass
for low wet lands or for rich up.
lands, but on poor dry light soil It's
only use is to prevent the sand from
blowing away. 1t has a creeping root
and in suitable soil it forms a dense sod
which is lasting and permanent. 1t
makes excellent hay and good pasture
and when fed down closely makes q
thick bottom. 1t forms the bulk of the
heritage of mixed grasses known in New
England as English hay and elsewhere
as meadow hay, which is certainly the
best hay for dairy purposes. It's running
roots and its close growth makes it the
very best grass for lawns, but it require,
constant and close cutting to be kept il
the best order. 1t should form the tarq
est proportion of a mixed selection o
grass for meadows and permanent pas
ture and fills up the vacant space between
the stools of timothy and orchard-prass
but its close growth crowds out rec
clover and even the creeping white clover
after time.
Bluegrass is the well-known apr
luxuriant pasture grass of the rich stool
farms of Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri
and Arkansas. 1t is eminently loca
grass, and succeeds best only upon riol
limestone lands. The geological charao
ter of the soil may be as accurately
known by the bluegrass grown upon i
as by ocular examination. AS soon a,
the limestone is left and the sandston,
approached, the verdure diminishes anc
the heritage deteriorates in equally al