SECRETARY'S REPORT. 25 



centage of nutritive matter in comparison with other agricultural 

 grasses. It is often sown with clover, but the best practical 

 farmers are beginning to discontinue this practice, on account 

 of the different times of blossoming of the two crops. Timothy 

 being invaribly later than clover, the former must be cut too 

 green, before blossoming, when the loss is great by shrinkage, 

 and when the nutritive matter is considerably less than at a 

 little later period, or the clover must stand too long, when there 

 is an equally serious loss of nutritious matter in that. It 

 thrives best on moist, peaty or loamy soils of medium tenacity, 

 and is not suited to sandy or light gravelly lands ; for though on 

 such soils, by great care it can be made to grow and produce 

 fair crops, some other grasses are better suited to them and 

 more profitable. It grows very readily and yields very large 

 crops on favorable soils. I have known instances where its 

 yield was four tons to the acre of the best quality of hay, the 

 Timothy constituting the bulk of the grass. It is cultivated 

 with ease, and yields a large quantity of seed to the^acre, vary- 

 ing from ten to thirty busliels on rich soils. 



In one respect, perhaps, it must be admitted that this grass is 

 inferior to meadow foxtail, and that is in the quantity of its 

 aftermath ; for while that of the latter is very great, the after- 

 growth of Timothy is but slight, and if allowed to stand too 

 long and then mown in a dry time, it starts so slowly as to leave 

 the ground exposed to the scorching rays of the sun, unless 

 indeed there happens to be a rapid growth of clover to protect 

 it. Tlie comparative value of this grass will be referred to 

 hereafter. It is proper to say in this connection that it is fre- 

 quently attacked by an insect apparently just before the time of 

 blossoming, which causes the stalk to die. The ravages of this 

 msect seem to have increased within the last few years. My 

 attention has been repeatedly called, by observing and practical 

 farmers, during the last few months, to the very large number 

 of dead Herds-grass stalks. 



Rush Grass, or Rough Leaved Vilfa, (vilfa aspera,} and 

 Hidden Flowered Vilfa, (vilfa vag-inccjiora,') are sometimes 

 found here; the former,' rarely on dry hills and sandy 

 fields, or pine plains ; the latter, somewhat more frequently on 

 similar soils and situations, botli flowering in September, and 

 neither considered of any value for cultivation. The Late 



4* " 



