790 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



XI. The Coming Grasses for the West. 



W(^ believe Orchard grass and Fowl-meadow will be found to be two 

 of the most valuable grasses for the West, the Northwest, and perhaps for 

 the Southwest, when they come to be better known. Orchard grass, also, 

 gives good satisfaction in the middle region of the South, and we think 

 that Fowl-meadow will also prove most valuable there. Mr. Frank E. 

 Hoyt, a careful farmer of Wisconsin, in relation to this grass, sajs he 

 knows of no grass in the Northwest that will compare with it, either for 

 pasturage or the production of hay. It has never been winter or sum- 

 mer killed, and he has found one acre of marsh well set in Fowl-meadow 

 equal for pasturage to three acres of upland, set in Blue grass, and the 

 hay produced the second year after seeding has never failed to pay the 

 entire expense of cultivating and seeding the land. Fowl-meadow 

 hay is especially valuable for horses, having all the advantages of vn\d 

 hay, being free from dust, that infests timothy and clover, while it pos- 

 sesses all the nutriment of the best tame hay ; and those dairymen whc 

 are acquainted with it, pronounce it valuable hay for milch cows. 



Xn. Time to Pasture. 



The time to pasture is when the dew is on, the earlier in the morning 

 the better. Our plan has always been to allow cattle to lie in the pasture 

 all night ; and this rule is good even in the spring and fall, if shelter is 

 provided against cold storms, and the pasture is not too remote from the 

 house. In that case the milch cows must lie in the yard, but should have 

 some food they like, early in the morning, unless milked at day-break. 



Xni. Feeding in Winter. 



Whatever the stock, or the place of feeding, give the first meal as soon 

 after day-light as possible in winter — just what they will fully eat. If 

 eaten pretty dean, give a little more feed again at noon, and again at 

 night, so that the animals may lie down on fairly full stomachs before 

 dark. If only one feed of grain is given daily, it should be given at 

 night. 



Stock should be graded in the feeding yard as to age and strength. 

 The weak and the strong should never be fed together, else the strong 

 will get better feeding than the weak ones, even when the fullest allow- 

 ance is given. Special attention should be paid to the allowance of salt. 

 Cattle should have it where they can take it at will. They will consume 

 less than if it be given them at regular intervals. Salt taken in large 

 doses is cathartic, but in such quantities as animals naturally crave daily 

 it aids digestion and is necessary to all herbiverous animals. 



