GRASSES OF MAINE. 27 



would ask, "Mr. Farrington, what is that grass?" I had not 

 observed particularly, and I looked over the field, and there 

 was occasionally a spire of this grass coming along. I took 

 quite careful notice, and perhaps there were twelve of these 

 plants through the field. That field was mowed, ai^J this 

 winter a man who takes care of the cattle handed me a stalk 

 of grass and said, "The cattle wiU not eat this at all." I told 

 him it was orchard grass. The herds-grass and other hay had 

 been eaten clean and this spire left in the crib. So I would 

 agree with the gentleman who made the statement that it is 

 not well to sow orchard grass with other grasses. I sowed 

 three-fourths of an acre last year and got a good crop, but we 

 had to mow it about June. When it is cut at a proper time 

 the cattle eat it clean, and the returns of milk are much bet- 

 ter than where we use fodder corn. As a soiling crop it is 

 also excellent, and sown on proper land and harvested at the 

 right time I have no doubt but that it is 4 desirable crop. 



Mr. Floyd. I will say in regard to this subject, there 

 was an acre of ground in Kennebec county sown to the Hun- 

 garian grass, and I had a great deal of interest in it. It was 

 on a high ridge and grew well. I asked the man who raised 

 it, and he said that it produced two tons to the acre. He 

 had no trouble in curing it. It was good weather when he 

 cut it, and it cured well, and his stock ate it well. I think 

 we need a soiling crop in the State of Maine. Our pastures 

 begin to fail about the middle of August, and people who 

 have dairy stock must do something to keep up the supply of 

 feed, and the great question is how to do it. I consider it 

 one of the most important questions. Hungarian grass has 

 been proposed, and I will propose sweet corn. I have had 

 some experience in this variety. Last year I obtained some 

 seed of an excellent variety, which grows eight, nine and ten 

 feet high. I planted early, on a warm, dry piece of ground, 

 and about the middle of August I commenced to cut it for 

 the cows. They ate it well and it increased the quantity of 

 milk, and I think it was a very profitable crop. Later, I 

 picked ofl" the ears and fed them to my hogs, and gave the 



