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148 PRINCIPAL INTRODUCED FORAGE GRASSES 



GRASS MIXTURES 



In the foregoing discussion various grass mixtures have been 

 several times suggested. Combinations of grasses and legumes 

 are generally to be preferred to a grass cover of a single species. 

 The advantages are essentially these: Combination stands usu- 

 ally afford more continuous cropping; they yield more; the 

 palatability of the forage throughout the season is higher; and 

 the crop may possibly be a better-balanced ration of food. 



In choosing grasses for pasture, one should be careful to select 

 species in such a way that the deficiencies of one may be balanced 

 by the advantages of another; for instance, he should choose 

 species that do not mature at the same time and plants whose 

 seasons of maximum production do not occur simultaneously. 



Mixtures for Temporary Pasture. — For temporary pasture, 

 to be used only two or three years, quick-growing grasses and 

 clovers are best. The following combination is popular because 

 of the good results obtained: 



Pounds Pounds 



Alsike clover 2 Timothy 4 



English ryegrass 12 Red clover _4 



Redtop 2 Total 24 



If stock is allowed on the pasture early in the season, the seed- 

 ing should be somewhat heavier than here recommended, as a 

 goodly proportion of the seedlings is destroyed by trampling. 

 In this combination the ryegrass will produce the earliest and 

 largest amount of forage the first year, but in the second season 

 it will be largely replaced by timothy and redtop. 



Mixtures for Permanent Pasture. — Combination seeding 

 especially suited to the bluegrass and timothy region should 

 contain both early-developing and slow-growing species. The 

 following mixture is popular: 



Pounds Pounds 



Kentucky bluegrass 6 Timothy 6 



Orchardgrass 3 White clover 2 



Red clover 3 



Redtop 3 Total 23 



