FOLLOWING NATURE. 269 



are sown ; while, if a mixture made up of a larger number 

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

 surface, and produce a far better quality of herbage. 



In sowing such a mixture of several different 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, and often many more 

 species. 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. 



Especially is this the case where the land is to be left 

 in grass for some years, and eventually to be pastured, 

 as is often 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 

 well 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, and even 

 this brings up a luxuriant growth in the more southern 

 latitudes. 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 anything but Timothy, redtop, and 

 clover, and that very large crops of these grasses are 

 often raised ; but it is nevertheless 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 



