Pastures in New \()RK. 



477 



Duration of plants. — The first point to notice regarding grasses and 

 clovers is their permanency or length of life. This may vary from one 

 year to a long period of years. A long life is not always dependent 

 on the natural character of the plant, but often depends on its environ- 

 ment. Red clover is probably by nature a long-lived plant but it is 

 usually killed by the root borer during the second j^ear. 



Plants that reproduce witlwut seeds. — It is desirable that a pasture 

 plant have the power of reproduction without maturing seeds. The 

 nature of the situation in pastures is against the production of grass 

 or clover seeds. The blossoms or buds are nipped off the desirable plants 

 long before they reach maturity. Incidentally undesirable plants, which 

 we call weeds, are allowed to go to seed and increase in the pasture 

 from year to year. 



The permanent grasses, such as timothy and blue-grass, will repro- 

 duce without starting from seed. The habit of growth of timothy is, 



similar to the increase in 

 growth of the wheat plant. 

 It produces new growth 

 from the axils of the leaf 

 \ \ I \\I\ / near the roots. Under 



\V I \)i/ Vuffw / '^&\^ conditions timothy 



\»/!f/ v\ Viw \ v>.lJ/ and similar grasses do not 



spread widely and from 

 year to year the stand 

 decreases. The method of 

 increase of blue-grass is 

 somewhat different. Un- 

 derground stems grow 

 laterally from the main 

 stem for some distance 

 below the surface of the ground. At intervals new stems are pro- 

 duced. (Fig- 152.) This new plant has its own root system. Other 

 pasture plants of importance having the same or similar habits of 

 growth are red-top and white clover. 



Plants that do not reproduce without seeds. — Two common pasture 

 plants which do not reproduce except from seed are red and alsike 

 clovers. Both these clovers are valuable in mixtures with other plants, 

 but they must be reseeded at intervals. They are short lived in pastures. 



Timothy. — Although not the most important pasture plant in New 

 York state, timothy is found under more diverse conditions than any 



-^/^^-i,"-?^- 



FiG. 152. — Showing method of reproduction of 

 blue-grass by means of underground stems. 



