1Q2 BOARD OF AQRICULTURE. 



to such soils than either of the others. Red-top will produce more 

 hay per acre than either herds-grass or red clover — will continue 

 growing" and thickening at the bottom, and remain green longer 

 than either of the others, and consequently will be more liable to 

 be cut, cured and housed before it passes its prime, and therefore 

 make better feed. But I would not stop here. This is a step in 

 the right direction, but not yet sufficiently radical. 



An examination of rich pastures will frequently show you fifteen 

 or more distinct varieties of the grasses growing closely together, 

 and with none of those vacant spaces, which are often to be found 

 in our newly seeded meadows, with their roots so completely 

 united that one cannot be removed without destroying several 

 others ; and all these native grasses nourishing food for sheep, 

 cattle and horses. In sonje parts of England where neither soil 

 nor climate are better than ours, a single shovelful of turf will 

 show thirty different varieties ; and an acre of such pastures will 

 fat an ox, and at the same time give good grazing for four sheep. 



If these native grasses will thus spring up voluntarily and 

 flourish in our pastures, can they not be made to flourish more 

 abundantly in our cultivated fields by seeding? And does that 

 not show conclusively that those soils are well adapted to all those 

 varieties 't I would then make another step in the right direction ; 

 and instead of seeding with herds-grass and red clover, M'ith an 

 occasional sprinkling of red-top, I would select several or all the 

 different varieties that are adapted to my soil, and sow them to- 

 gether, but more abundantly of those particular varieties that 

 were specially adapted to different fields ; bearing in mind at the 

 same time, that it is better to sow in any one field, those varieties 

 that ripen at the same time. 



The grasses most common and peculiar in New England, all of 

 which are to be found in this State, ripen in the following order : 

 Spear-grass, meadow-foxtail, sweet-scented vernal ;ind white 

 clover, which ripen in May, or in the colder parts of the State, 

 not until the first week of June. Following these, from the mid- 

 dle of June to the middle of July, are June grass, orchard grass, 

 herds-grass, the several varieties of fescue, rye grass and red 

 clover, with a great many more of less importance. From the 

 middle of July to the middle of August, we have red-top, fowl- 

 meadow and bhu! grass, with some of less note that continue 

 green until killed by frost. Here we have a dozen or more of the 

 most prominent, which may be all that are necessary for common 



