THE GRASSES, MEADOWS, FTC. 9l 



which flourish on the clay slate, and generally speaking, of 

 the worst description, still the Arundo did not appear to feel 

 the change ; nor did the cattle tail to eat down large tracts of 

 this pasturage." 



Wo have purposely devoted some space to the description 

 of such new grasses as u,v indigenous to this continent, and 

 which by their superior value in their native localities would 

 seem to commend themselves to a thorough trial in similar 

 situations elsewhere. There are doubtless others of great 

 merit, which experiment hereafter, will demonstrate to be of 

 singular benefit to the American farmer. The subject of 

 grasses has been but slightly investigated in this country in 

 comparison with its immense importance ; and for this rea- 

 son, with few exceptions, we are at a loss for the true value 

 of the foreign and indigenous grasses to American husbandry. 



As an instance of the want of a well established character 

 to some of our cultivated grasses, we quote the opinions of 

 Dr. Muhlenburgh of Pa., who has written ably on the subject, 

 and the late John Taylor, a distinguished agriculturist of 

 Virginia, both of whom place the tall oat grass (Avena elatior) 

 at the head of the grasses ; yet from the investigations made 

 at Woburn it appears among the poorest in the amount of nu- 

 tritive matter yielded per acre. Dr. Darlington, also of Penn- 

 sylvania, does not mention it but gives the following as com- 

 prehending " those species which are considered of chief value 

 in our meadows and pastures, naming them in what I consi- 

 der the order of their excellence. 1. Meadow or green grass, 

 (Poa pratensis.) 2. Timothy, (PJdeum pratense.) 3. Orchard 

 grass, (Dactylis glomerata.) 4. Meadow fescue, (Festuca 

 pratensis.) 5. Blue grass, (Poa compressa.) 6. Ray grass, 

 (Lolium perenne,) 7. Red top, (Agrostis vulgaris.) 8. Sweet 

 scented vernal grass, (Antlwxanthum odoratum.") 



The sweet scented, soft grass, or holy grass, (Holcus odo- 

 ratus,) according to the Woburn table is next to the tall fiscue 

 and timothy in point of nutritive matter to the acre, when cut 

 in seed, and it is placed as far. in advance of all others in the 

 value of its aftermath ; yet scarcely any other authority men- 

 tions it with commendation. Without relying on these ex - 

 periments as an unerring guide for the American farmer, \ve 

 append the table on the two following pages, as the fullest 

 and most correct we have on the subject, and as affording a 

 useful reference to some of the leading and most valuable of 

 the English grasses, most of which are more or less cultiva- 

 ted in this country. 



