92 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



I. As a rule in this country but little attention is given to 

 cur native grasses and but few farmers have any accurate 

 information of the species of grasses that grow on their grazing 

 lands and, therefore, are unable to tell what species are adapta- 

 ble to their conditions. It is essential in dealing with meadows 

 and pasture lands, to know especially what members of the 

 grass family and other forage plants find the conditions conge- 

 nial to them. It is often remarked with much reason that 

 more is to be gained by the proper selection and proper care 

 of the • forage crops which have grown successfully, though 

 perhaps unnoticed, among us for years, than by seeking for 

 better results from some newly introduced species. No culti- 

 vated plant possesses qualities that will defend the farmer 

 against the evil effects of poor culture, and when intelligent 

 thorough methods are applied, many of the familiar species 

 will do all we can reasonably expect. Occasionally a new and 

 valuable species is introduced which may serve a useful pur- 

 pose, as in the case of alfalfa in some sections, but in general 

 a more economical production of cattle foods will be reached 

 more surely through an improvement of methods in growing 

 what we already have. 



2. The home produced feeds for a dairy farm must obvi- 

 ously be adapted to the cow. A herd of good cows can hardly 

 be most successfully managed on the old basis of exclusive 

 pasturing in summer and exclusive dry food in the winter. To 

 attain the best results the pasture must be amended by soiling 

 crops, at least during the late summer and early autumn, and 

 a succulent food, as silage or roots, is a decided improvement 

 to a winter ration. 



3. The productive capacity of the different forage crops 

 used as cattle foods is very unlike. For instance a good crop 

 of maize contains very much more dry matter per acre than do 

 oats or peas or any of the grains, and in order that land may 

 yield a maximum supply of feeds it is necessary to go out- 

 side grass and grain farming when long rotations are practiced 

 and the larger part of the farm kept in grasses. Rapid rota- 

 tion and the use of the more grossly feeding plants are necessary 

 to a proper development of the resources of the land. Other 

 things being equal, the most desirable crop is the one that will 

 produce the most digestible dry matter per acre. This will not 



