106 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



grasses, two or three fescues, orchard grass, timothy, 

 redtop, tall oatgrass, nimblewill, quack grass (and a fine 

 grass it is, too, one of the best, if only not so devilish) 

 and brome grass these of the important cultivated 

 grasses, and many minor grasses beside the annuals. It 

 seems to me one can tell just by the behavior of these 

 grasses what is best fitted to his soil and has a chance for 

 the most profit. With us redtop is seen chiefly in the 

 moister places ; it grows exceedingly well ; we. have never 

 sown it nor, in truth, have ever knowingly sown several 

 other things that are with us, notably quack grass (Agro- 

 pyruni re pens). If one would accustom himself to ob- 

 serving even stray clumps of grass here and there on his 

 own land he would hardly need ask any man's advice 

 as to what was best for him to grow. 



Redtop in Mixtures. For all soils inclined to poverty 

 or wetness, I should include redtop in a pasture mixture, 

 putting w r ith it Canada bluegrass, sheep fescue, orchard 

 grass, alsike clover and little white clover. There is a 

 peculiar relationship between alsike clover and redtop. 

 It has been observed by many farmers that the soil that 

 suits the one suits the other admirably. 



Seeding to Redtop. There are from 4 to 6 million 

 seeds in a pound of redtop seed. It is smaller than tim- 

 othy and is usually sown in much the same manner only 

 it must not be covered as deeply as timothy hay. It is 

 easily established and lasts longer than timothy v It is 

 the best grass for sour land that one has not had time 

 to correct with carbonate of lime. It is a sure forecaster 

 of soils ; when one sees a region given over to redtop one 



