144 GRASSES AND FORAGE PLANTS. 



of tho soil for those grasses, is as great as can stand on the 

 ground covered by them. 



But it is nevertheless true, that if we sow but one kind of 

 grass, however abundantly the seed may be scattered, or on 

 whatever soil it may be, or under however favorable influences, 

 yet only a part of the plants will flourish ; vacant spaces will 

 occur throughout the piece which Avill be filled up after a time 

 by grasses of an inferior quality, weeds or mosses. This is the 

 case in some degree also, where only two, or a small number of 

 species arc sown ; while if a mixture made up of a larger num- 

 ber of kinds of seed is used, the plants will cover the entire 

 surface and produce a far l)etter quality of herbage. 



In sowing such a mixture of several dilfercnt species, we do 

 but follow nature, who after all, will generally be found to be 

 the best teacher, for wherever we cast our eyes over an old, rich, 

 permanent pasture, we ordinarily see from fifteen to twenty 

 species of grass or forage plants growing in social profusion. 

 If the soil be very poor, as a cold, hard clay, or a barren sand, 

 perhaps two or three varieties will suffice, but on good soils a 

 larger number will be found to be far more profitable. Espe- 

 cially is this the case where the land is to be left in grass for 

 some years and eventually be pastured, as is frequently done in 

 New England, for it is then desirable to have grasses that reach 

 their maturity at different times, as a constant succession of 

 good feed throughout the season may thus more surely be 

 obtained. It is vrcll known that there is no month of spring 

 or summer in which some one of the grasses does not attain to 

 its perfection, if we except the month of March. For good 

 soils, eight or ten species of the grasses or six or eight of the 

 grasses proper and one or more of other herbage plants would 

 probably be found to be profitable. 



I am aware that the prevailing practice is decidedly against 

 the use of any thing but Timothy, redtop and clover, and that 

 very large crops of these grasses are often raised, but it is nev- 

 ertheless true that we obtain on an average less than a ton to 

 the acre, while with the same culture and a larger number of 

 species we ought to get double that quantity. 



Before proceeding to consider the proportions in which the 

 different species should be mixed, it may be well to refer to the 

 mode generally adopted for estimating the quantities of seeds 



