298 STATE BOAKD OF AGKICULTUKE. 



too, with great tenacity. It lias a creei^iiig root stalk, which lielps it spread 

 aud retain its footing. It is very early, flowerhig early in June, but seldom, if 

 ever, flowering a second time in the year. It I'equires two or three years to get 

 well established, hence it is not Avell adapted to alternate husbandry. It is 

 remarkable for the second growth, or for a continued growth after it has been 

 mown or eaten off by stock. It is one of the most widely diffused of any 

 grasses in the world. Xotwithstanding some call it a useless weed, it is chief 

 among our lawn grasse-, — woi'tli more than all the rest jDut together, in most 

 places. It is too often estimated by its rather short stalks, as seen in dry mead- 

 ows, than by its quick second growth of nutritious grass." 



Foa comjiressa (wire grass, blue grass). This is often found in rather dry 

 thin pastures. It never makes a compact turf. It has a very dark blue stem, 

 considerably flattened or compressed, by wliich it may be easily distinguished. 

 The top or panicle is small. Like fowl meadow grass, it may be allowed to get 

 ripe before cutting, as its stalk remains green and nutritious. It shrinks very 

 little in curing so the yield of hay will be two or three times the amount by 

 weight or value, that one would guess who is accustomed to handle other grasses. 

 The hay or grass is of imsurpassed quality for butter and cheese. Gould says 

 by repeated trial he has found that horses will do better on this hay alone than 

 they will on timothy and oats. [He doesn't mention the proportion of timo- 

 thy to oats.] It is very hardy and often despised on account of its size as a 

 weed. Every dry pasture on heavy land will be the better for containing some 

 of this grass. It gums the knives of the mower badly. 



Festuca elatior (meadow fesque). This also includes several varieties promi- 

 nent among tliem is the yariety pratensis. To an inexperienced eye it looks 

 like large coarse June grass. It flo\Yers soon after June grass. It thrives espe- 

 cially on stiff soil, and does tolerably well in partial shade. Its value is well 

 established as nutritious, productive, and a favorite Avith cattle and men in dairy 

 countries. I should unquestionably recommend it as of first rank for pasture 

 or meadow, especially the latter, but unlike wire grass and fowl meadow grass 

 It must not be past the flower to make good hay. 



LoUuni 2Jere)me (perennial ryegrass, ray grass, darnel). This also includes 

 a large number of varieties, a prominent one of which is Italian rye grass. 

 The latter (Italian rye grass) is remarkably vigorous and well suited for soiling 

 or alternate husbandry as it will only remain two years without reseeding. 

 Most of the varieties of rye grass are highly recommended where they have 

 been tried, as "good for butter and cheese." It grows very rapidly and matures 

 seed the first year. I copy now something I wrote a few days ago for the Prai- 

 rie Farmer, on this grass. "^'The fame of this grass is of long standing in 

 Great Britain, having been cultivated as early as 1677 — almost two hundred 

 years ago. It was the first grass artificially sown or cultivated in that country. 

 It is in England what timothy is in our new countries, the best known and 

 most generally raised ; so that a good English writer says of it : ''No species of 

 grass has ever attracted so much interest among our agriculturists as this.' 

 The seed is easily raised, often forty bushels to the acre the first year it is 

 sown. Like mo5t grasses it thrives best on good, strong soil, and like a large 

 crop of any plant, it Avill exhaust the soil to some extent. It flowers early and 

 late. The leaves are rather broad, flat, bright green, and shining. The stalk 

 is rather short, straight, and stiff, not very pretty. The spike or head looks 

 some like a very slender spike of quack gra>s. These seeds are sometimes 

 mixed, so that bifora au incautious farmer knows it, his farm is well strewn 



