THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



was made, the better the stock liked the hay (Fig. 93). But 

 early cut hay is difficult to cure and must be stored under roof 

 to be kept well. Early cutting shortens the life of the plants and, 

 except under the best management, soon "runs the meadow 

 out." This is because the plants are harvested before they have 

 filled their bulbs with food on which to nourish the plant in 

 winter and to give it a good start in the spring. 



249. Kentucky blue grass. Kentucky blue grass is a native 

 of both America and Europe, and is widely distributed over the 



FIG. 93. The time to cut timothy for hay 



This illustration shows the results of a test of the palatability of hays cut at different 

 stages of maturity. The same amounts of hay cut at times indicated on the labels 

 were placed in this rack and yearling steers allowed access to the entire feeding rack. 

 The results show strikingly which hay is most acceptable to the cattle. (Photograph 

 from Missouri Experiment Station) 



earth. It is the most highly esteemed and the most widely 

 grown pasture grass in America. It requires a rainfall of thirty 

 inches or more and a limestone soil for its highest development. 

 Its southern limit is about the northern limit of cotton, but it 

 extends northward almost to the arctic region and as far west 

 as adequate rainfall occurs. It reaches its highest development, 

 however, on the limestone soils of Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia, 

 Tennessee, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. 



Unlike most of the other species of cultivated plants, blue 

 grass has fought its own way and has established itself without 

 man's help. On soils adapted to it, blue grass crowds out all 



