498 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPEDIA. 



" Grass," says an eminent professor, " commonly forms one single idea ; 

 and a farmer, when he is looking over his fields, does not dream that 

 there are upwards of three hundred species of grasses, of which thirty or 

 forty may be at present under his eye." In this age of progress it is no 

 longer excusable that the humblest farmer should be ignorant of the 

 above facts. Comparatively speaking, some grasses are of no value to 

 him, whilst others constitute the foundation of his riches, as they are the 

 staff of life to the most valuable- of the domestic animals. 



MEADOW CAT'S TAIL OR TIMOTHY (Phleum pratense). 



Herd's Grass, as it was then called in the Eastern States, was first 

 introduced and brought into cultivation in the State of Maryland, by 

 Timothy Hanson, a native of one of the New England States, who built the 

 first grist mill on Jones' Falls, now forming a part of the City of Baltimore, 

 about the year 1720. When it first came into notice it was called 

 Timothy Hanson's Grass, and sold in "Baltimore Town," by that name. 

 The character and name of this grass was soon established by the fine 

 crops of it grown on the Hanson Farm, and the name it received then r 

 will, in all probability, forever adhere to it. It is supposed to have been 

 introduced into England from Virginia, about the year 1760, and for 

 years afterwards its cultivation was confined to moist and newly 

 reclaimed peaty or moorish soils. 



The roots of Timothy grass are fine and near the surface, often in the 

 second year forming a perfect mat. Its net-work of roots takes only the 

 strength of the surface soil ; but they do that thoroughly, while all 

 beneath is left hard and not permeable to air and light. In such con- 

 ditions soils gain nothing if they do not absolutely tend to sterility. In 

 two or three years the surface is exhausted, and unless annually over- 

 flowed or artificially manured, the Timothy begins to die out. If it is 

 then ploughed and seeded with Timothy again, this exhausted soil is turned 

 to the bottom of the furrow, and the inert soil brought up to have the 

 process repeated. A few years of such treatment will take' the virtue 

 out of any land, provided Timothy is grown alone. 



The experience of farmers in different parts of the country, in the 

 cultivation of Timothy, is as diverse as the soils on which it is grown. 

 While many of the theories advanced by them may be correct to the 

 extent of their own observations, there are circumstances of soil and 

 climatic influences which tend to produce results not always accounted 

 for in their calculations. 



