No. 4.] GRASSES AND FORAGE CROPS. 187 



the large proportion of coarse, stemmy growth, which makes 

 it less digestible than some of the finer grasses. When 

 wanted for feeding dairy stock, it should be thickly sown, 

 and, if grown with red-top or red clover, the mixture will 

 have a much higher feeding value than the timothy alone. 

 When cut before the blossoming period, it will usually give 

 a fair crop of rowen. Timothy should not be depended 

 upon for pasturage, as it will not withstand close cropping 

 nor constant trampling by animals. 



Orchard Grass. — Orchard grass is one of the best early 

 grasses, usually being ready to harvest in this climate from 

 June 5 to 15. It rapidly deteriorates if allowed to remain 

 standing after the early blossoming stage. It generally 

 gives a large proportion of coarse, stemmy growth, which 

 is very tough and unpalatable unless harvested while young. 

 One characteristic of the orchard grass is to send up a quick 

 growth of aftermath, so that on well-fertilized fields two 

 and often three crops per year may be obtained. The 

 greatest objection to this grass is its tendency to grow in 

 clumps or tussocks. This has been overcome by some 

 farmers by heavy seeding and heavy manuring, or by mixing 

 the seed with a large proportion of Kentucky blue-grass. 

 Orchard grass is not particularly valuable as a pasture grass, 

 for the same reasons which were given in the case of 

 timothy. 



Kentucky Blue-grass. — This is one of the most nutri- 

 tious and most palatable grasses for dairy stock. It is an 

 early grass, blossoming about with, or a little later than, 

 the orchard grass. When used in grass mixtures, it should 

 always be grown with early maturing grasses, as it rapidly 

 becomes tough and woody as the season advances. It is a 

 common mistake to use this grass in mixtures with timothy 

 and red-top. The dried, white tops of the Kentucky blue- 

 grass will almost invariably appear before the timothy is 

 fully grown. 



Meadow Fescue. — For growth on moist meadows, one 

 of the best of our medium early grasses is the common 

 fescue or evergreen grass. The stems of this grass are 

 rather coarse, although the proportion of leafy bottom 

 grass is very large. It should be grown with timothy, or 



