THE GRASSES, MEADOWS, ETC. J09 



of such new grasses as are indigenous to this continent, and 

 which, by their superior value in their native localities, 

 would seem to commend themselves to a thorough triaj 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. Most of 

 these, yet remain to be classified by the botanists ; and what 1 

 is of much more utility, to be thoroughly tested by the cru- 

 cibles of intelligent chemists and the experiments of en- 

 lightened agriculturists, to determine their absolute and rela- 

 tive value for economical purposes. The subject of grasses 

 has been but slightly investigated in this country, in 

 comparison with its immense importance ; and for this 

 reason, with few exceptions, we are at a loss for the 

 true comparative 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 most generally-cultivated grasses, we quote 

 the opinions of Dr. Muhlenburgh, of Pa., who has written 

 ably on the subject ; and the late John Taylor, a distin- 

 guished 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 nutritive matter yielded 

 per acre. Dr. Darlington, also of Pennsylvania, does not 

 mention it, but gives the following, as comprehending " those 

 species which are considered of chief value in our meadows 

 and pastures, naming them in what I consider the order of 

 their excellence : 1. Meadow or green grass (Poa pratensis). 

 2. Timothy (Phleum pratense). 3. Orchard grass (Dac- 

 tylis glomerata.) 4. Meadow fescue (Festucapratensis). 

 5. Blue grass (Poa compressa). 6. Ray grass (Lolium 

 perenne.) 7. Red top (Agrostis vulgaris). 8. Sweet- 

 scented vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratwm)" 



The Sweet-Scented, Soft Grass, or Holy Grass, (Holcus 

 odoratus), according to the Woburn table, is next to the tall 

 fescue 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 mentions it with commendation. 



Without relying on these experiments, as an unerring 

 guide for the American farmer, we 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 desirable of the English grasses, 

 many of which, are more or less cultivated in this country . 



