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are very useful ou lands which cauuot be tilled in rotation, as woodlands, fields which 

 are very rough or stony, or for other reasons difficult to plow. And, though perma- 

 nent meadows are not commonly so profitable on the lands we can use in short rota- 

 tions, they pay on some lands too moist to cultivate, as where broad, undtained 

 sloughs run through fields, or where numerous swales cut up the land, making culti- 

 vation inconvenient. 



Timothy is the best of the tame grasses for hay. It is hardy, may be cheaply seeded, 

 and on ordinarily rich and moist soil, yields good crops, unless prevented by drought. 

 It seems to grow with clover better than alone. Timothy fits into rotations well, be- 

 cause it makes a good crop the second year; but alone it serves for only a few years 

 in a permanent pasture or meadow. It seems to become " sod-bound" when grown 

 alone on droughty or even on average soils in this climate. 



/?erffo2> is our best hay and pasture grass for wet lands. » * * Forhay it should 

 be mown in early bloom. Redtop makes a poor showing in short rotations, as it re- 

 quires two years for its roots to become sufficiently developed to make a strong sod. 

 But as it continues doing well for many years, it is especially well adapted to perma- 

 nent meadows on wet lands. 



Kentucky blue-grass ia i^erfectly hardy in this State, but it grows too short for mead- 

 ows. It requires three years for the root stalks to become sufficiently developed to 

 make a good staud, no matter how thickly seeded, aud therefore is of no value as a 

 pasture plant in short rotations. * * * It fits in here only in hilly woodland and 

 other fields which must be kept in permanent pastures. [The season of growth is 

 too short in Minnesota to allow this grass to produce abundant pasturage.] 



Orchard grass is hardy, starts early in spring, aud after being cut or grazed, stands 

 drought better than timothy, aud makes a good yield of hay. It is a good plant for 

 permanent meadows on lauds not too wet, since one seeding will usually last many 

 years. 



Meadow fescue, tall fescue, tall meadow oat grass, and perennial rye grass are of enough 

 promise that we will further experiment with them, but do not advise farmers to in- 

 vest in quantities of the seed of these. 



Exjieriments with English rye grass, Rhode Island bent grass, smaller bent grass, 

 fine top grass, crested dog's tail grass, Canada blue-grass {Poa compressa), sheep's 

 fescue, aud several other- less widely known grasses, seem to indicate that these 

 grasses are not adapted to any good system of agriculture in Miunesota. 



Red clover has proven hardy and very valuable in the southern and central older 

 settled parts of the State, but we trust that the northern limit within which it can 

 be grown will be nearly the north boundary of Minnesota. For some reason red clover 

 does not do well iu newly settled sections until it has been repeatedly tried. A lit- 

 tle should be sown every year, with the hopes that this "best preparation for crops 

 of wheat" may eventually succeed. 



Mammoth clover starts later iu spring,and matures nearly two weeks later in Minne- 

 sota than the couuuon red clover, but produces a larger first crop. It starts slower 

 after cutf iug, aud does not produce so large a second crop. On the whole, it produces 

 little or no more feed in a year iu Minnesota thau does red clover. The mammoth 

 variety is best to sow in all places for a green manure crop, as it grows lai'ger thau 

 the common meadow variety. It, like common red clover, does not seem to be more 

 than a biennial in this northern cliuiate. 



Alsike clover {Trifolium liyhridum) is not so valuable for Minnesota as red and mam- 

 moth clovers. It produces a smaller first crop, and the second crop is usually short 

 and light. It furnishes excellent bee i^asturage. Alsike clover, like the red and 

 mammoth species, seems to live but little longer than a biennial iu Central Minne- 

 sota. It is the best clover for meadow lands, too moist for cultivated crops. If al- 

 lowed to go to seed it will remain in such land several years. Hay and pasturage of 

 Alsike clover are fine, aud of especially good feeding quality. 



White clover is too short for a meadow plant, aud it often displaces better plants 



