196 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



growth much earlier than others. Some will withstand the 

 effects of the heat of summer, and some will make a luxuriant 

 growth in the cool of the fall. A variety of forage is also 

 important for our herds during the grazing season. Hence 

 what we have said with regard to growing a number of 

 kinds together, which will blossom inside of a short period 

 of time, does not apply to the growth of grasses for past- 

 ure. Then, again, varieties which are best adapted for 

 meadows are sometimes not well suited for pastures, be- 

 cause they will not withstand close cropping nor the con- 

 tinuous trampling of animals. Timothy, although one of 

 the best of our meadow grasses, is among the poorest for 

 use in pastures. When closely fed down by animals, it 

 dies out, and soon becomes replaced by the finer varieties. 

 Grasses which will make a close turf, such as Kentucky 

 blue-grass and the fine red-top, are the best for use in past- 

 ures, and should make up the greater proportion of such 

 mixtures. There is also a choice in the clovers for pasture 

 mixtures. The common red clover will not long; endure 

 close feeding by animals, but the small white clover makes 

 a low, mat-like growth, which is quite permanent, and 

 which furnishes a most nutritious pasturage. From 5 to 8 

 pounds per acre of the seed of this clover should be used 

 when seeding for pasturage. 



Miscellaneous Fodder Crops. 



Owing to a frequent shortage of hay, due to drouths or 

 other causes, and the high market value of the crop, it be- 

 comes important that we should provide as much supple- 

 mentary fodder as possible for our herds. There are a 

 number of substitutes for the more marketable grades of 

 hay, which have fully as high a feeding value, but which do 

 not find ready sale in the markets. These should be grown 

 and used in place of hay as far as possible. 



Fodder Corn. — There is no crop that is well suited to 

 New England which will give so large an amount of total 

 food materials for our herds as corn, and there is no crop so 

 cheaply grown in proportion to the food materials which it 

 supplies. With the aid of the silo, it provides us with a 

 class of fodder that is especially well suited to the needs of 



