The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-04-09

choice of the kind Of grass follows as
the first consideration. The old idea
that a heavy. thick sod is requisite, is
no longer tenabie, because the object OF
growing the grass is not the blowing Of
it under for manure but for grazing and
hay, and the grass which retains its
hold upon the soil the longest, and
which furnishes the most feeding and
the largest crop OF hay, is the best.
Orchard grass is undoubtedly such
grass and has been rapidly growing in
favDr for some years past in the North
and West, and especially in the South,
where it thrives in perfection. There
are many meadows of this grass in Ken
lucky, covering more than a hundred
acres each, and crop of seed OF one
thousand or two thousand bushels,
grown by single farmer, is not rare.
These fields have been in grass for
many years. Instances by scores can be
given, of fields Of grass now yielding as
abuudautly as ever after thirty years. l
have grown orchard grass for more than
twenty years. A seeding made in 1864,
of forty acres, is still in excellent con,
dition, and has been pastured and NOW
ed each year since then. A more recent
seeding, seven years old, ON light, sandy
soil, cut for hay in June, 1884, stood
five feet nine inches high. A square
rod of thus grass, measured with exact
ID OF oft ho,D
cut, little over two hundred pounds.
This is equal to six cen tons Of green
fodder to the acre. This shows its great
value for soiling. for which purpose this
field was seeded and used. This yield
is equal to four tons of hay per acre, al
lowing loss Of seventy-fve per cent,
in curing The single objection to this
grass is, that it grow S in stools or buch-
es. This, however, is of no force what
ever, because when grass is expected to
permanently occupy the grouno, sod
is wholly unimportant. Against this
single objection, it possesses many val
liable characteristic. 1t is permanent,
hardy, succeeds Oh light, dry soils, as
well as on moist, heavy land; it is ready
for pasture early in the season, and be
tore any other grass; it is ready for hay
IN May or early in June, and it begins
to grow again very quickly after mew
ing. 1t can be cut Ihree or four times
in the summer for S, ling, and pasture
in the fall. If left to grow after cut
ting in May, it makes heavy winter
pasture in the Sou h, where stock are
kept out during all this season. Orch
ard grass is one of the most nutritious
Of all the grasses, containing seven AND
twenty five one hundredths per cent. o
protein, forty-seven per cent. OF Carlo
hydrates, and three per cent. of fat, in
the form of hay; but when cut for soil
ing. or pastured in its earlier stages ii
contains fifteen per cent. OF protein, foul
per cent. of fat, and forty-eisht per cent
of carbo hydrates, thus considerably
SURPRISING timothy in nutlive prin
ciples. All these excellent qualities ri
orchard grass are becoming recognized
and with the right management this
grass is destined, think, to become
the prevailing kind for hay and pasture
The best method of cultivation is to sow
the seed by itself on we'll prepared
ground early in the spring. or in Aug
ust, in grain stubble. The land >hou d
be thoroughly plowei and narrowed I'M
til it is fine and mellow; two md IA hat
bushels Of seed per acre is sown, aud
covered by means Of "a light brush -har
row, or the smoothing-plank harrow.
A liberal top-dressing of manure, whi;h
may be given in the fail; or Of arr lfcia
grass manure, given in the spring. a
intervals OF three or four years, will
serve to keep the grass in good condition
foe many years; how long, 10 farmer
who has grown it so far. is able to say
American Ayricnlturist.
Fruit growing will be on better
basis when fruit is treated as being
worth the ground it stands on. But