GRASSES IN MICHIGAN 377 



bed may be prepared by disking and harrowing corn stubble land, 

 or early fall plowing which has settled well makes a good seedbed 

 for spring seeding. If it is necessary to plow shortly before seed- 

 ing, the ground should be firmed by the use of a sub-surface packer 

 or by repeated use of the harrow and roller. Along with a good 

 seedbed do not fail to use the best quality of seed. The best is 

 always the cheapest even at the higher price. 



MICHIGAN. Prof. R. S. Shaw, Director of the Michigan Experi- 

 ment Station, East Lansing : The following grasses are most com- 

 monly grown in Michigan : Timothy, orchard grass, bluegrass and 

 redtop. I doubt very much whether there is any one grass that is 

 used more than bluegrass in this state. I would place timothy 

 second, redtop third and orchard grass fourth. No matter what 

 combination of clovers and grasses may be sown in this state, at 

 the end of five or six years bluegrass will have taken almost com- 

 plete possession to the total exclusion of the other sorts. Blue- 

 grass takes possession here naturally, if given sufficient time, without 

 any seeding whatever. Redtop is being grown only on low-lying 

 lands or in connection with permanent pasture mixtures. Legumes 

 most commonly grown are red clover, both mammoth and medium, 

 alsike and alfalfa. The medium red clover is very largely grown in 

 the southern part of the Lower Peninsula, while the mammoth is 

 grown in the northern part of that region. Alsike clover is being 

 used very largely in connection with red clover 6 to 8 pounds, 

 timothy 2 pounds and alsike 2 pounds. It has become a very com- 

 mon practice to seed down for hay and pasture with a combination 

 of this kind. The alfalfa area of this state" is extending very rapidly. 

 We have had a wide range of conditions here as regards soil and 

 climate, and it has taken some little time to find out just how to 

 handle this problem. Permanent pastures are to some extent fer- 

 tilized by applications of well-rotted barnyard manure with the 

 manure spreader as a top-dressing. I doubt very much whether any 

 commercial fertilizers are used in this way and only a compara- 

 tively small amount of lime. 



MINNESOTA. Prof. Andrew Boss, Agriculturist of the Minne- 

 sota Experiment Station, St. Anthony Park: The best grass in my 

 estimation for pasture in Minnesota is Kentucky bluegrass, especially 

 where the pasture is to remain for any length of time. The second 

 best is the Austrian Brome grass or Bromus inermis. Third, 



