72 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



winter protection in bleak locations and is particularly 

 • favorable to early and vigorous growtb the following 

 season. But tliere are localities as in certain of the 

 river bottoms west of the Cascade mountains, in which 

 timothy meadows are grazed much of the winter and 

 yet produce large crops of hay. 



The growth of timothy pastures will be greatly stimu- 

 lated by top dressings of farmyard manure. These are 

 best applied in the autumn, but inaj also be applied 

 in the winter when the ground is frozen unless on hilly 

 land. Since timothy is non-leguminous it is vdiolly 

 dependent on the soil for its nitrogen. Consequently 

 fertilizers rich in nitrogen whether applied as farm- 

 yard manure or as commercial fertilizers will greatly 

 stimulate the growth. But in actual practice, nitrogen 

 in the latter form is usually applied to timothy meadows 

 rather than to pastures of the same. 



Harvesting for Hay. — The stage of maturity at which 

 timothy ought to be harvested for hay will depend to 

 some extent on what it is intended for. For cattle 

 and sheep it is frequently cut when coming into bloom. 

 Particularly is this true when it groAvs amid a good 

 crop of medium red clover. In order to secure the 

 highest feeding value in the clover it is necessary to 

 cut the timothy while yet somewhat immature to fur- 

 nish the best results in feeding. But even when grown 

 alone for the uses named, it should be cut while not 

 yet in full bloom. Ir will then be less woody and more 

 palatable than if cut later, although there may be 

 some loss in weight. If cut when in full bloom, the 

 hay is somewhat more dusty than it would otherwise be, 



