SECRETAIIY'S REPORT. (35 



My own conviction is, that the hopes of Maine in an agricultural 

 point of view, centre in her meadows and pastures. When she be- 

 comes a great producing state, it will be chiefly for meat, wool and 

 dairy products. For the production of these she is eminently fitted 

 by nature, and by a judicious pursuit of stock husbandry will her 

 arable culture be best promoted. 



Assuming that the views here presented, and which also consti- 

 tute a prominent part of the burden of previous reports, are admitted 

 as correct, the inquiry next in order would seem to be, How may 

 the greatest amount and value of forage be produced at least cost ? 

 and next to this, What animals or what breeds will give the most 

 valuable returns in proportion to the food consumed ? 



The importance of cultivating roots, both as an ameliorating crop 

 and as furnishing a large amount of cattle food, has been urged in 

 former reports ; but when all the attention is paid to these which 

 they deserve, (and it is believed that as many acres might be prof- 

 itably cultivated as there are now square rods grown,) still the chief 

 reliance for forage is, and always must be, upon grass and hay ; and 

 in response to a desire, strongly, although informally, expressed by 

 many members of the Board of Agriculture, during the past year, I 

 will attempt, not an elaborate treatise on the grasses of Maine, but, 

 to submit a few observations on the hay crop and some facts regard- 

 ing the grasses known to possess agricultural value ; their qualities, 

 habits, relative value, adaptation to different soils, methods of cul- 

 ture and of harvesting, which it is hoped may be of use in directing 

 a larger share of attention to, as it appears to my mind, this vital 

 element in our agricultural progress. 



The grasses are a vast order of plants comprising several hundred 

 genera and probably not less than three thousand species. It strikes 

 one at the outset, as a somewhat remarkable fact, that of this vast 

 number only three or four, perhaps half a dozen at the most, are 

 under general cultivation in New England. A large proportion of 

 these thousands are undoubtedly of little economical value, and 

 some no better than weeds upon the farm ; yet it is highly probable 

 that there are some, perhaps many, not yet introduced to, or im- 

 proved by cultivation, which are naturally, or by cultivation may be 

 made to surpass our herdsgrass, redtop and clover. "It is not at 

 all certain that we have the best kinds, nor that those we have are 

 5 



