PASTURAGE AND FEEDING FOR PROFIT- 789 



pumpkins and squashes, which find a large place in feeding stock in many 

 portions of the United States. The composite family, the largest of the 

 natural families, furnishes artichokes and a few others seldom used ; but 

 it is remarkable in its lack of useful species although wonderful in orna- 

 mental ones. The night-shade family gives us the potato. The parsley 

 family gives us the carrot, the parsnip and some others of value, and the 

 goosefoot family furnishes the sugar beet and mangelwurzel , valuable for 

 feeding in the West. 



IX. Grass is the Most Valuable. 



All these plants placed together are of minor account in comparison 

 with the great grass family, which includes our cereal grains. 



We do not use botanical names usually in speaking of grasses. We 

 only introduce them below in connection with the common names, be 

 cause in some cases the same grass goes by different names in different 

 parts of the country. The feeder may select from the following list : 



Timothy, (Phleum pratense) a better name for which would be Cat's- 

 tail grass, and, for the reason that in some sections of the country it is 

 called Timothy, as in Pennsylvania, and Herd's grass in New England 

 and New York. Neither of these names gives an indication of its char- 

 acteristic flower-head, while the former names do. In Blue grass, {Poa 

 pratensis) ; Wire grass, (^Poa compressa) ; Red-top, (Agrostis vulgaris) 

 confusion of names again comes in. In Pennsylvania, Blue grass is 

 called Green grass, and Eed4op is called Herd's grass. Orchard grass, 

 (Dactyhs glomerata) ; Fowl-meadow grass, {Poa sei^otina), and Meadow 

 fescue, {^Festuca pratensis^ ^ are also most valuable grasses. 



X. Grasses of Special Value. 



For feeding during droughts, Indian corn, sown at the rate of two 

 bushels per acre, in drills two feet apart, cultivated thoroughly once or 

 twice, and cut when in blossom will make a good reliance, as also will 

 German millet (Panicum Gei-manicum), and common millet (P. rnili- 

 aceum). Here we have nine varieties of grass that do well generally. 



The first, second, third and fourth, with the clovers heretofore named, 

 constitute the bulk of the grasses cultivated for pasture. Orchard grass 

 is one of the most valuable in the whole list, and should be tried every- 

 where, on land not wet. Fowl-meadow is also well worthy of trial. 

 Fowl-meadow grass especially has been found to take the place of Blue 

 grass in those sections of the Northwest where Blue grass does not suc- 

 ceed. Especially has this been the case in Wisconsin. It is hoped ii 

 may be found so in the Southwest, where Blue grass is not natural to 

 the soil. 



