120 YALE AGRICULTURAL LECTURES. 



phosphates may be needed for corn ; but where such is the case 

 it is certain that they are much more needed for the growth of 

 clover and other leguminous crops, and turnips, and that we 

 cannot obtain from natural sources sufficient ammonia for the 

 corn without growing these crops, or others which, like them, 

 by their growth and consumption on the farm, furnish an in 

 creased quantity of ammonia for the use of the cereals. 



FIFTEENTH DAY. FEB. 17, 1860. 



Mr. JOHN STANTON GOULD'S lecture to-day was devoted to a 

 classification and description of the grasses, with practical hints 

 at the best varieties for farm use. After making some state 

 ments respecting the classification of the grasses, Mr. Gould 

 proceeded to speak of the several species, describing their bo 

 tanical and chemical characters, and the soils and localities to 

 which they were severally adapted. With the grasses before 

 him, he pointed out the marks by which timothy was identified 

 and distinguished from others which resembled it. The largest 

 stalk that he had ever seen was six feet six inches long, with a 

 spike measuring eleven inches. The heaviest crop that he had 

 ever heard of was on the form of John Fisher, Carroll county, 

 Md., who cut from an acre five tons, 1,622 pounds of dry hay. 

 The heaviest crop of pure timothy that he had himself seen was 

 on the farm of the Hon. Geo. Geddes, of Syracuse, which gave 

 three tons to the acre. According to the analysis of Mr. Way, 

 timothy yields more dry hay from a given amount of grass, and 

 more of albuminous, fatty, and calorifacient matters from a 

 given amount of dry hay, than any of the grasses 'upon which 

 he experimented. But it must be remembered, that Mr. Way 

 did not analyze either Poa compressa or Poa serotina. 



The great drawbacks to its utility as a permanent meadow- 

 grass are, the very little after-math it produces ; its liability 

 to run out after two or three years; and the injury it receives 



