259 



GRASSES. 



Great interest continues to be manifested in the experiments undertaken in con- 

 nection with grasses, nearly every mail bringing inquiries as to the most promising 

 hay and pasture grasses for this country, and the grass plots on the farm receive 

 more attention from visiting farmers than any other department. During the past 

 yeai" large additions have been made to the collection of grasses and clovers under- 

 going test, and up to the present date 46 varieties of grasses and 10 of clovers have 

 been sown. Of these, 20 of the grasses and 9 of the clovers have experienced a winter ; 

 the balance were sown during the past summer, and their hardiness has not been 

 tested. A number of those sown in 1890 were killed out last winter, and no doubt 

 others will succumb during the present severe weather; still, quite a number have 

 proved both hardy and productive, and it is hoped that we shall find among them 

 some varieties well adapted to this country, 



CULTIVATED GRASSES SOWN IN 1890. 



Below will be found full particulars of cultivated grasses sown with wheat m 

 the spring of 1890. When the wheat was about 2 inches high the grass and clover 

 seeds were sown broadcast and harrowed in, covering the grass seed and killing a lot 

 of weeds at the same time. Nearly all the clover (Common Red) in the timothy 

 and clover mixture was winter-killed and the yield from this plot was light. 



Both Sainfoin and Lucerne made a good even stand and came through the winter 

 without injury, but the light rainfall of May was especially severe on them, for both 

 require abundant rainfall early in the season ; for this reason the yield from these 

 plots was light. 



The Alsike made a good stand the first summer, but about one half of the plants 

 were winter-killed ; the remaining plants and the timothy sown with it covered the 

 ground fairly well and the returns were good. 



Mammoth Red clover is with us decidedly the most promising of the clovers, 

 coming through the winter without the least injury, and both alone and mixed with 

 timothy gave a good crop of excellent hay ; the stalk of this clover grows much finer 

 here than in Ontario, and for that reason makes better hay. 



Common Red clover was too tender for the open prairie, the plot of this variety 

 being completely killed out. 



White Dutch clover proved to be perfectly hardy, and promises to be quite 

 useful for pasture. 



Bokhara or Sweet clover was also hardy, and made a luxuriant growth 7 

 feet high. Although of very little use for fodder it is an excellent honey plant, and 

 the perfume from its blossom was quite noticeable for the greater part of the 

 summer. 



Trefoil and Crimson clover with us were both winter-killed. 



Austrian Brome Grass (^Bromus inermis) is a very promising gi-ass here. This 

 did not winter-kill the least, grew 32 inches high and yielded 2^ tons of excellent 

 leafy hay. 



Orchard Grass grew thick on the ground, but was rather short; it stood the 

 winter, and keeps green quite late in the season, the aftermnth from this variety 

 being heavier than fi-om any of the others. 



Timothy covered the ground well, but failed to push up a proper proportion 

 ■of stalks, and the crop was light; this is the general complaint from farmers regarding 

 this grass, and for that reason its cultivation is not general. 



All the Fescues proved hardy, but only the Meadow Fescue gave a fair return ; 

 this is a ver}- promising grass, but should not be sown alone. 



The following grasses were winter-killed: — Rough Meadow grass, Italian Rye 

 grass, Perennial Rye grass and Meadow Fox-tail. 



The plots were one-tenth of an acre in area ; soil, rich sandy loam ; all were cut 

 about 15th July, but some of them should have been cut earlier. 



7f— ni 



