TIMOTHY. 25 



The leaves and stems of alfalfa sometimes turn yellow, and the 

 crop then assumes a very unthrifty ai)i)earanc'(,'. Whoii this condi- 

 tion lH'<:^ins to manifest itself the ticld should be cut immediately, 

 even though the growth be very small. This will tend to invigorate 

 the plants and keep them in a growing condition. If the growth is 

 sufficient the first season, it nuiy be used for either hay or pasture, 

 but under no circumstances should it be closely pastured the first year. 



In the moist climate west of the Cascade Mountains it frequently 

 happens that alfalfa sends up young shoots from the crown of the 

 plants before the first growth begins to bloom. AVhen this occurs it 

 should be cut at once: otherwise the fii*st crop soon begins to deterio- 

 rate and the second growth will be seriously stunted. In this region it 

 is very essential, therefore, to watch alfalfa closely and cut it as soon 

 as these young shoots begin to api)ear. 



Alfalfa is not a satisfactory pasture crop for cattle or sheep because 

 of its tendency to produce bloat in these animals when the}^ are 

 allowed to graze on it, but for horses and hogs, particularly hogs, 

 there is no better pasture. 



TIMOTHY. 



Timothy {Phleum pratense) is the standard grass in Oregon and 

 Washington west of the Cascade Mountains. It is shallow rooted 

 and naturally adapted to moist lands. But the abundant rainfall of 

 this region, distributed as it is through so many months of the year, 

 makes it possible for it to succeed on practically all classes of soils 

 except the sands and gravels. There are individual farmers who like 

 other grasses better, but timothy is the one grass that is universally 

 known and grown. It has been the standard nuirket hay so long and 

 has so many valuable characteristics that it will require years for any 

 other grass, even with superior qualities, to become as popular as tim- 

 othy in this region. 



There are many reasons why timothy enjoys this popularity. It 

 has the best seed habits of any of our cultivated grasses. The seed is 

 usually cheap, has a very high percentage of germination when prop- 

 erly matured, is easily harvested, and retains its vitality remarkably 

 well. The hay is easily cured, stands handling well, and is relished 

 by all kinds of stock. Unlike many other grasses, a few days' delay 

 in the time of cutting makes but little difference in the quality of the 

 hay — a very important point in a region where show^ers are not infre- 

 quent during the haying season. 



West of the Cascade Mountains timothy is most frequently grown 

 with red clover. It is sometimes sown in the fall Avith winter wheat 

 and the clover added in the spring, during February or March, when 

 the ground is thawing and freezing. Another method is to prepare 

 the ground in the spring and sow the timothy and clover with or 



94 



