Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-06-10
From West Virginia Farm Bulletin.l
Grasses and Clovers.

There being many reasons why this
State must always be largely oevo'eo "
the production of the grasses and cio-
vers. we summarize the result OF our eX-
perience and observation of the varieties
best adapted to this State. We have
numerous wild or native grasses winch
afford more or less pasturage III their
natural state, but they are pracucally
worthless for cultivation. In the older
parts of the State, many of the tame
grasses" have been found to be very
profitable, as pasture or meadows
Permanent pastures are not best III our
river bottoms and rich tillable land,
hut are very useful on land which can
not be titled i'll regular rotation from
being rough, stony, or from other reasons
may not be proftably plowed. Some
grasses withstand the drouth much bet
ter than others, and are therefore better
adapted to our uplands. Prof. w. nj.
Hays, who is authority on this sub
iect, says: Some forage plants, as Red
Top grass and Alsike clover, are es-
pecially we'll adapted for growing on
lands too moist to be successfully Guilt
waited.
Tile draining, and also surface dram
ing of wet soils, enables us to raise bet
ter grass, with more certainty, as wei
as to allow the use Of these richest
lands in the more profitable short rota-
tons, instead of in a system of perma-
nent pastures or meadows.
No one plant answers all the require
ments for either pasturage or hay, and
knowledge of which kinds of grasses
and clovers to use and how to grow them
is OF great value to the farmer,
While the farmer especially needs TO
be acquainted with those varieties which
are of greatest value in the State, a
knowledge of other less valuable kinds
does not come amiss, since it prevents
investing i'll worthless kinds.
Only general rules regarding what to
SOW can be given. The requirements to
be met are as different as the kinds of
soils and the various needs of the farmers
in the widely different parts of the
State.
Grasses and Clovers sown III the spring,
with small grain crop, do best on a
hard, fall-plowed seed bed, and should
be sown as early as it is possible to get
the grain crop planted.
Grass seeds can be sown after the
small grain is seeded, and prior to the
last narrowing, which should be very
light on wet, heavy soils, but may be
thorough narrowing if the land is very
dry. Rolling often furnishes sufficient
covering for these small seeds.
Timothy is at the head of the tame
grasses to SOW for hay. 1t makes good
feed, sells we'll in any market, and 1t IS
especially priced for feeding 70 horses.
Timothy is hardy, may be cheaply
seeded, and on ordinarily rich and
moist soil, yields good crops, unless pre-
vented by drouth. 1t seems to grow
with clover better than alone.
Timothy fits into rotations we'll, be-
cause it makes good crop the second
year; but alone it serves for only few
years in permanent pasture or mead
ow. 1t seems to become sod bound
when grown alone on drouthy or even
on average soils in this climate.
Timothy serves good purpose i'll pas
lures i'll short rotations, as several
pounds Of the seeds can be added to the
mixture at very small cost, and it
greatly increases the variety, as well as
the quantity Of feed.
Red TOP is our best hay and pasture
grass for wet lands. The only objection
raised to it is that the quality is poor,
but this is true only when it is allowed
to become too ripe. For hay, it should
De MOWn Ill carry DlOOul
Red Top makes poor showing i'll
short rotations, as it requires two years
for its roots to become sufficiently de-
veloped to make a strong sod. But as
il continues doing we'll for many years,
it is especially we'll adapted to perina-
nent meadows on wet lands.
Red Top is not the best pasture plant
for upland, or arabic land, because
when not eaten closely it ripens culms,
which animals refuse to eat, and which
prevent their getting the later succulcnt
growth of leaves. But it is far better
than many native slough grasses, "
which it is able to crowd out when the
two are rather closely pastured, or when
they arc mown for hay. Its tough sod
prevents poaching of the soil by the feet
Of cattle.
Kentucky Blue Grass is perfectly
hardy in this State, but it grows too
short for meadows. 1t requires three
years for the root stalks to become suf-
fciently developed to make good
stand, no matter how Tricky seeded,
and therefore is of no value as pasture
plant in short rotations.
While too much can not be said for
this plant i'll "bluc grass countries, "aS 4
grass for perm anent pastures OH tillable
lands, as we'll as on those not SO easily
cultivated, it fits in here only i'll lilly
woodland and other fields which must