GRASSES OF MAIME. 



21 



weeds predominate. On the other hand the foulest pasture 

 may, under proper management, become covered by valuable 

 grasses, although no fresh seed may have been sown. The 

 turf of old pastures seems to contain the roots and seeds of a 

 great variety of desirable and undesirable plants, which 

 respectively flourish or dwindle out of sight, as the conditions 

 for their development are favorable or otherwise. 



On arable land, when any species of plant disappears its 

 place is supplied by one of less value as an article of food, 

 and thus the richest pasture comes in time to produce only 

 the coarsest and most worthless species of grass. Look well 

 to the neglected pastures, for of far too many of them it 

 must of truth be said, " nothing from nothiiig, nothing 



remains." 



New Grasses. 



New grasses and new friends, treasures of substantial value 

 yet to be discovered. Hunt them up, and give a fair trial to 

 each. Hunt them up, anywhere from Madawaska to the gates 

 of sunset. Find them by the road-side, planted by the trav- 

 eller's horse. Pick them in rough and secluded places. Pet 

 and protect them, although they come from "Dixie's land." 

 Because so many of our naturalized grasses so nearly ap- 

 proach their northern limit in the Sunrise State, it affords no 

 evidence that those from a more equable climate will not 

 flourish. Various facts demonstrate that the influence of 

 climate is subordinate to that of soil and cultivation ; soil 

 first, culture next* climate last. 



An examination into the geographical limits of most of the 

 food plants, corn, wheat, potatoes, apples, etc., shows that it 

 is not on climate, but cultivation, that their growth depends. 

 If the requisite soil conditions are present, the plant will 

 slow or quicken its growth to meet the extremes of climate. 

 Barley, in Germany, requires fifteen weeks to mature ; in 

 Lapliwid but six weeks. Potatoes, in semi-tropical districts, 

 require five months to grow ; in Aroostook less than three 

 months. Corn, which requires 160 days to grow in the South- 

 ern States, will grow and ripen in 100 days in Canada. 



