SECRETARY'S REPORT. 141 



gregate crop be materially greater than if only one or two species 

 be employed. For permanent pasture we would desire the most 

 durable and nutritive grasses, affording food both early and late, and 

 capable of resisting drought and bearing the closest cropping without 

 injury. For soiling we might even employ annuals, like Millet, 

 (Hungarian grass,) or Indian corn. Avhich would be utterly unfit for 

 pasture. For alternate husbandry, we would have an eye to ameli- 

 oration of soil and the amount of vegetable matter to be furnished 

 by and by in the decay of the roots. 



Again, mixtures should vary according to the character of the 

 soil upon which they are to be sown. We know perfectly well that 

 some do better on heavy soils and some on light, some on moist and 

 some on dry. There may be special cases where one would be as 

 good, or better, than two, or ten, and there are many cases where 

 five or ten would be better than one or tv,'o. All the above and a 

 great many other considerations should be taken into account in 

 deciding on the mixture to be used in any given case. It would be 

 the higlit of presumption to attempt to give directions for mixtures 

 best adapted to the different purposes and soils of the Maine farmer, 

 for the simple reason that the knowledge is not yet acquired, nor 

 can it be learned except by numerous, careful and protracted experi- 

 ments, and these have not been made. They should be made, and 

 the results published for the benefit of others. It is only by experi- 

 ment that progress in any branch of practical agriculture can be 

 accomplished. Von Thaer very justly remarks : ^^ Experiments^ it 

 is true, arc not easy ; still they are in the fotcer of every think- 

 ing liiisbandman. He who accomplishes but one, of however 

 limited application, and takes care to report it faithfnlly, ad- 

 vances the science, and consequently the, practice of agriculture, 

 and acquires thereby a right to the gratitude of his felloivs and 

 of thos'j who come after.'' 



A far greater degree of attention has been bestowed upon this 

 subject in England than in this country ; and although what would 

 be good practice there, might be unfit here, we may yet obtain from 

 it some useful hints, and I accordingly subjoin a few of the numer- 

 ous mixtures which are recommended in foreign works, selecting 

 such as seem nearest to our needs. They are intended to be sown 

 with a grain crop : 



