FARMERS' REGISTER— HERDS GRASS— MEADOWS. 



651 



equally applicable to the whole of the country 

 below the mouiitain.s. There is scarcely a stream 

 in this whole reinon that does not atlbrd some ex- 

 cellent meadow land; and there are numerous wet 

 slashy spoty, in the levels of the hijxhiunds ihat 

 would [iroduce fine crojis of hay. Lower Virfxi- 

 nia, thougii almost exclusively a grain growing 

 country, is oHen, and particularly in some parts of 

 it, very deficient in rough or long (bod ibr stock. 

 Fodder (or corn blades) is the main dependence 

 lor sheej) and horses; and shucks and straw for 

 cattle. I have long thought that blade fodder was 

 not worth half the cost of gathering and sav-ing 

 it; unless the corn be remarkably fine. And even 

 fi-om such corn, the weather must be very favora- 

 ble to secure it with its nutritive juices. If I had 

 no meadow, nor knowledge of hay, I might think 

 otherwise. (This is a plain matter that ought to 

 be fully discussed and experimented upon.) 



Land for a meadow ought to be ricli and moist; 

 or at any rate, retentive of moisture until the mid- 

 dle of June. The soil must be ploughed and har- 

 rowed until finely divided. The aid of a roller 

 will in many cases, greatly facilitate this opera- 

 tion. But it ought to be complete, and the land 

 made as level as possible, in order to lighten the 

 labor of the mower, and enable him to get the 

 whole crop of grass. The depth of" the first 

 ploughing should be regulated by the deplh of the 

 fertile soil. Deep stirring of the earth is necessa- 

 ry; for the deeper it be broken, (he more moisture 

 it will absorb, and the more it will give to the 

 roots of the grass. All the roots, trash and tus- 

 socks must be carried ofi^ — they are the nurseries 

 of weedi?, and will be in other respects inju- 

 rious. 



The seed ought to be sown after the last har- 

 rowing and before any rain has fallen. A bushel 

 of herds, and one gallon of timothy seed, orrather 

 less will be sufficient per acre, if sown in Septem- 

 ber, or before the middle of October. If sown in 

 the spring or sunmier, half a bushel more of herds 

 ought to be added. But there is no danger of 

 sowing too many seed; and I should never stop 

 under two bushels, provided the seed were not too 

 costly. Though what is a little expense, com- 

 ])ared to a thick luxuriant crop, which shall en- 

 tirely possess the ground, to the exclusion of every 

 other growth? Grass when sown too thick, will 

 (and only on rich land) thin hself exactly to that 

 point which insures fineness and the greatest pro- 

 duction of which the soil and climate are capable. 

 iVIanj^ grass growers have labored under a strange 

 delusion on this subject. It was the practice with 

 some (of my acquaintance,) to sow only one peck 

 on an acre. The conse(|uence was, that they had 

 to lose one year, waiting tor the grass to spread, 

 and supply the stinted seeding — cutting the first 

 year a rank crop of weeds, mixed so sparingly 

 with hay, that the produce was but of little value, 

 except fis horse bedding. The cutting of such a 

 crop is heavier work than of good haj^ And ex- 

 perience proves, that thinly sown meadows will 

 always remain ibul, and give inferior crops. 



The seeds having been thoroughly mixed to- 

 gether with the hand, are ihen sown in a dry 

 state, by the hand also after the manner of small 

 grain; the irround having been first marked off into 

 six feet lands by using a hoe or rake handle. 

 Horses ouffht not to go on the ground thus );re- 

 pared; and if the lines laid off, as recommended; 



be not mathematically straight, they will suffi- 

 ciently guide the seedsman, who ought to follow 

 just behind tiie operator, and while his mark is 

 flesh. This will insure regularity. I'he sower's 

 hand ought to be held low, and particularly if 

 there be any wind. It is better to sow the seed 

 dry, because then they separate easily, and tall 

 more regularly. Being white, they ought to give 

 the ground an evenly powdered ap]:earance, 

 which is the only sure proof of good sowing, ex- 

 cepting always the appearance of the grass itself^ — 

 and slighted spots should be resown by both of 

 these indices. Herds grass seed are so small and 

 light, that they are very apt to be taken up and 

 thrown about and deposited in sunken places, if 

 not carried ofl[ by the winds. To prevent this, 

 the roller should follow the seedsman as soon as 

 possible. In addition to this benefit, it beautifully 

 levels and smooths such finely prepared ground, 

 and leaves it, so that the grass knife passes over it 

 without obstruction or jar. 



How interesting to the eye of the husbandman, 

 is such a plot of land, thickly and evenly covered 

 with a rich coat of grass, in full bloom! Then is 

 the time to apply the knife, and handle the fork. 

 An experienced and dexterous cutter will be ena- 

 bled to shear it smoothly and evenly, and with as 

 much apparent ease as the city barber wields the 

 instrument of his vocation. 



The second crop, as already suggested, does 

 not rise high enough in this climate to be cut. 

 But it affords the best of grazing. In its growth 

 it steals along, alternately freshened up by show- 

 ers, dews, and cool nights; and parched and with- 

 ered by the burning sun of summer, until released 

 fi-om this doubtful state of existence, by the more 

 regular and genial temperature of September. 

 Not till then, does it assume its gay verdure, and 

 give promise of future vigor and value. A cer- 

 tain union of heat and moisture is necessary to 

 every sort of vegetation, and every clime is cha- 

 racterized by its p>eculiar productions. In the 

 temperate zone, we regard spring as the flood, and 

 winter as the ebb-tide of vegetalile life. Summer 

 and autumn are the seasons of their vigor and 

 maturity. Btit it is both interesting and instruc- 

 tive to note the eiiect produced by the removal of 

 plants from one latitude to another, vv'ithin our 

 zone. Some of the artificial grasses so called, 

 which p-rescrve their verdure, in the northern 

 states, and even beyond our mountains, during the 

 whole summer, die and are withered to the very 

 ground, by the heat of the sun in the lower and 

 southern country. To them autumn is a second 

 day of resurrection. Hence they yield us but one 

 crop of hay, and seem to be inca|)able of that de- 

 gree of acclimation that would enable them to 

 produce two, notwithstanding all our care. We 

 have vainly endeavored to nurse int-o useliilness, 

 the guinen grass, which has been pronounced to 

 be to the West Indies "the next great blessing to 

 the sufrar cane." These considerations make it 

 desirable that some native grass should take the 

 place of exotics. The blue grass promises to do 

 this on very rich and wet lands; but a little more 

 experience with it ouglit to be had before we give 

 up the herds grass, which we know to be valuable 

 either on the wettest or the drjest land. 



Unless the second crop, or aftermath, be grazed 

 down, it dies in the winter, and forms a thick 

 covering of dead material that retards the early 



