NATURAL HISTORY. 33 



every other grass to feed upon it. If suffered to grow long 

 "without being cropped, it becomes coarse and harsh. Colonel 

 Powell, (a late eminent farmer of Pennsylvania,) after growing it 

 ten years, declares that it produces more pasturage than any 

 other grass he has seen in America. On being fed very close, 

 it has produced good pasture after remaining five days at rest. 

 It is suited to all arable soils. Two bushels of seed are requi- 

 site for an acre when sown alone, or half this quantity when 

 sown with clover. The seed is very light, weighing not more 

 than twelve or fourteen pounds to the bushel. It should be cut 

 early for hay." 



Mr. Sanders, a well known practical farmer and cattle breeder, 

 of Kentucky, says of it : " My observation and experience have 

 induced me to rely mainly on orchard grass and red clover ; 

 indeed, I now sow no other sort of grass seed. These grasses 

 mixed, make the best hay of all the grasses for this climate 

 (Kentucky ;) it is nutritious, and well adapted as food for stock. 

 Orchard grass is ready for grazing in the spring ten or twelve 

 days sooner than any other that affords a full bite. When 

 grazed down and the stock turned off, it will be ready for re- 

 grazing in less than half the time required for Kentucky 

 blue grass. It stands a severe drought better than any other 

 grass, keeping green and growing when other sorts are dried 

 up ; in summer it will grow more in a day than blue grass will 

 in a week. Orchard grass is naturally disposed to form and 

 grow in tussocks. The best preventive is a good preparation of 

 the ground, and a sufficiency of seed uniformly sown. The late 

 Judge Peters of Pennsylvania, — who was at the head of 

 agricultural improvement in that State for many years, — pre- 

 ferred it to all other grasses." 



Orchard grass is less exhausting to the soil than rye gras^ or 

 Timothy. It will endure considerable shade. In a porous 

 subsoil its fibrous roots extend to a great depth. Its habit of 

 growth unfits it for a lawn grass. Its seed weighs twelve pounds 

 to the bushel, and to sow alone, about twenty-four pounds to 

 the acre are required to make sure of a good crop. It should 

 not be sown alone except for the sake of raising the seed. It is 

 worthy of a much more extended cultivation among us. 



Pennsylvanian Eatonia, {Eatonia Pennst/lvanica,^ is a grass 

 5 



