SECRETARY'S REPORT. 151 



Doubtless the varieties of seed usually sown in this State, 

 consisting almost exclusively of Timothy and redtop, with a 

 mixture of red clover, are among the best for our purposes, 

 and their exclusive use is, in a measure, sanctioned by the expe- 

 rience and practice of our best farmers ; yet, it would seem 

 very strange indeed, if this vast family of plants, consisting of 

 thousands of species and varieties, and occupying, as already 

 intimated, nearly a sixth part of the whole vegetable kingdom, 

 could furnish no more than two or three truly valuable species. 



When we consider also, that some species are best adapted to 

 one locality, and others to another, some reaching their fullest 

 and most perfect development on clay soils and some on lighter 

 loams and sands, avc cannot but wonder that the practice of 

 sowing only Timothy and redtop on nearly all soils, clays, 

 loams and sands indiscriminately, botli on high and low land, 

 should have become so prevalent. It is equally remarkable 

 that while but very few of our grasses, and these for the most 

 part species peculiar to sterile soils, flourish alone, but nearly 

 all do best with a mixture of several species, it should so con- 

 stantly have been thouglit judicious to attempt to grow only 

 two prominent species together with merely an occasional addi- 

 tion of an annual or a biennial clover, v/hich soon dies out. 

 When this course is pursued, unless the soil is rich and in good 

 heart, the grass is likely to grow thin and far between, produc- 

 ing but half or two-thirds of a crop, whereas the addition in 

 the mixture of a larger number of species, would have secured 

 a heavier burden of a better quality. These considerations, it 

 seems to me, indicate the true direction in which the farmer 

 who wishes to " make two spires of grass grow where one grew 

 before " without impoverishing the soil, should turn his at- 

 tention. 



I hold this proposition to be indisputable, that any soil will 

 yield a larger and more nutritious crop if sown with several 

 kinds of nutritious grasses, than when sown v/ith only one or 

 two species. Indeed, it is a fact well established by careful 

 experiment, tliat a mixture of only two or three species of 

 grasses and clover, will produce a less amount of hay than can 

 be obtained by sowing a larger number of species together. 

 There may be some exceptions to this rule, as in cases where 

 the yield of Timothy and redtoj), owing to the peculiar fitness 



