268 NUMBER OF SPECIES REQUISITE. 



to sterile soils, flourish alone, but nearly all do best with 

 a mixture of several species, it should so constantly 

 have been thought judicious to attempt to grow only two 

 prominent species together, with merely an occasional 

 addition of an annual or a biennial clover, which soon 

 dies out. When this course is pursued, unless the soil 

 is rich and in good heart, the grass is likely to grow 

 thin and far between, producing but half or two-thirds 

 of a crop ; whereas, the addition in the mixture of a 

 larger number of species would have secured a heavier 

 burden, of a better quality. These considerations, it 

 seems to me, indicate the true direction in which the 

 farmer who wishes to " make two spires of grass grow 

 where one grew before," without impoverishing the soil 

 should turn his attention. 



1 hold this proposition to be indisputable : that any 

 soil will yield a larger and more nutritious crop if sown 

 with several kinds of nutritious grasses, than when 

 sown with only one or two species. Indeed, it is a fact 

 well established, by careful experiment, that a mixture 

 of only two or three species of grasses and clover will 

 produce a less amount of hay than can be obtained by 

 sowing a larger number of species together. There 

 may be some exceptions to this rule, as in cases where 

 the yield of Timothy and redtop, owing to the peculiar 

 fitness of the soil for them, is as great as can stand on 

 the ground on which they grow. 



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 favor- 

 able influences, only a part of the plants will flourish ; 

 vacant spaces will occur throughout the piece, which will 

 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 



