18 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



States was the first to give official recognition to the importance of 

 these crops by establishing in the Department of Agriculture a 

 Division of Agrostology, especially devoted to work out systemat- 

 ically all grass problems. 



No other region has so large a number of useful grasses and 

 forage plants as the United States and Canada. There are within 

 the United States alone no less than 60 native species of clover, 70 

 of blue grasses, 25 of gramas and curly mesquite grasses which have 

 produced more beef and mutton than all the cultivated hay grasses 

 put together, 90 lupines, 20 wild beans, 40 vetches and an equal 

 number of forage beggar weeds, 20 kinds of wild rye, 30 kinds of 

 brome grasses, besides meadow, pasture, woodland and swamp grasses 

 without number, each kind adapted to a particular soil or climate 

 and to some special use. Among the leading grasses are the fol- 

 lowing : 



Timothy. This grass, botanically known as Phleum pratense, 

 is supposed to have been introduced from Europe, but the earliest 

 account of its culture is that given by Jared Elliot (Special Bui. U. S. 

 Dept. Agr. 1889), who says it was found by a Mr. Timothy Herd in 

 a swamp in New Hampshire, and that he began its cultivation. As 

 it was found to be a valuable grass, its cultivation soon spread, and it 

 was originally known as "Herd's grass." It was not introduced into 

 cultivation in England until some fifty years later. It is very prob- 

 able that the specimens found by Mr. Herd were of native growth, 

 for it is believed to be native in the White Mountains, in the Rocky 

 Mountains, in Alaska and in Labrador. It is also a native of Europe. 



Timothy thrives best on moist, loamy soil of medium tenacity, 

 and is not suited to light, sandy, or gravelly soils. Under favorable 

 circumstances and with good treatment it yields very large crops, 

 often four tons to the acre. One writer states that he has known 

 whole fields in Missouri grow to the height of 5 or 6 feet, the soil, a 

 pulverized clay, being particularly suited to this grass. He also states 

 that he has known fields of this grass to be highly productive for 

 thirteen years in succession, though that was a rare exception, of 

 course. 



Farmers should not lose sight of the fact that the roots do not 

 extend widely, and that much of its vitality depends on the thick- 

 ened bulb-like base of the stem; therefore there is danger that, if 

 mowed too late in the season so that the bulbs and roots are left un- 

 protected from the weather, they may suffer from the action of frost, 

 being sometimes lifted out of the ground from this cause. Timothy 

 is an exhaustive crop, the roots not penetrating deep enough to obtain 

 nourishment from the subsoil. Feeding off with stock lays the crown 

 of the plants bare, which, being of a bulbous nature, are easily in- 

 jured by exposure. When, however, the aftermath is very abundant, 

 Timothy meadows may be pastured sparingly in the fall to reduce 

 the heavy growth of rowan that sometimes accumulates so as to inter- 

 fere with the mower; but in no case should sheep be allowed upon 

 it, as they are very apt to nip off the crown of the plant and thus 

 destroy it. In order to keep up the productiveness of a Timothy 



