1935.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



249 



nil up about eight inches high, and look very 

 flourishing. On examining the bed in which the 

 sides were planted I find them just sprouting, being 

 but about one inch from the bulb, the surface of 

 the ground having no appearance of vegetation 

 whatever. The other two beds have come up as 

 they were planted, promiscuously, presenting a 

 very rough and uneven appearance, while some 

 are eight inches high, others have not made their 

 way through the earth. This patch was planted 

 on the 18th June, and I mention the facts thus fat- 

 developed, to encourage others to make more care- 

 ful experiments, on more extensive scales, and to 

 excite a spirit of inquiry: satisfied that we agricul- 

 turists have much to learn yet. 



s. 

 July 9, 1835. 



From the Farmer and Gardener. 



ON THE MANAGEMENT OF ARTIFICIAL GRASS- 

 ES. 



Clairmont, 6th Month 20, 1835. 

 Edward P. Roberts, 



Respected Friend — I have received thy letter of 

 the 13lh inst., containing 12 queries relative to the 

 culture and suitableness of the most approved spe- 

 cies of grasses, for dairy purposes, intended lor the 

 information of a gentleman to the south. And 

 while I comply most cheerfully in replying thereto, 

 I hope I shall be excused, at this busy season of 

 the year, for making my answers as concise as pos- 

 sible. 1 am fully sensible that the subjects to which 

 thou has called my attention, are vitally important, 

 and are entitled to a more minute and extensive no- 

 tice than I have leisure now to devote to them, 

 but if a plain account of my opinions and practice, 

 will be of any service to our southern subscri- 

 ber and inquirer, or to others, they are at thy ser- 

 vice. 



1st Query. Is clover suited to being grazed 

 by cattle, horses, &c. — or is it more profitable to 

 cut it and soil the cattle with it? 



In reply to this query, I may observe, that red 

 clover is good for grazing cattle; but in order to 

 derive the full benefit of enriching the land by it, 

 the cattle ought not to graze on it until it is nearly 

 or quite in bloom, whereby the droppings of the 

 cattle, are in some degree covered by the clover, 

 and the evaporation of the more valuable portions 

 of the manure, thus to aconsiderable extent,prevent- 

 ed. The cattle should be taken off early enough in 

 the fall to leave a good cover, to protect the roots of 

 the clover, and prevent their being drawn out by 

 the winter frosts. Clover is now generally known 

 to be the best of all grasses for enriching and im- 

 proving poor land; it should, therefore, be sown 

 with all the varieties of spear grasses, viz: — 

 orchard grass, timothy, tall meadow-oat, and 

 herds grass, if the latter be sown on dry mellow 

 land. 



Although red clover is not the best grass for 

 grazing cattle, yet it is essential to the grazing, as 

 it fertilizes the land, and thereby promotes the 

 growth of white clover and green grass, poa pra- 

 teimis, which are considered as the richest and most 

 acc^table to cattle of all grasses. 



Soiling of cattle in the stalls have two good pro- 

 perties in it, viz. cattle thus fed furnish more raa- 



Vol, III— 32 



nure, and require loss land to provide the necessa- 

 ry supplies of provender, but these are not gained 

 without additional expense, and great risk to the 

 health of the cattle, which is certain to be impaired 

 more or less, unless they are permitted to range 

 abroad a part of each day. 



2d Query. Is lucerne better suited to soiling 

 milch cows than the common red clover; docs it 

 yield more green fodder, and is it earlier? 



3d Query. Is orchard grass calculated to be- 

 ing grazed by cattle — does it sustain much loss 

 from the treading down of the cattle while feed- 

 ing? 



Answer to the 2d and 3d queries. The cheap- 

 est and earliest article for soiling, is, I think, the 

 tall meadow oat grass — avena elictor. T1W lu- 

 cerne is equally early, and as good or better for 

 soiling; but its culture is more difficult and expen- 

 sive. The red clover soon follows them, and when 

 ready to cut we have no occasion for a better ar- 

 ticle to soil with. The orchard grass and tall mea- 

 dow oat, atfords the most pasture of any of the 

 spear grasses I am acquainted with, and will make 

 good and suitable hay for cattle if sown thick, and 

 cut when in flower, or rather before; continuing 

 longer in sandy land than most other grasses and 

 . bears the trampling of cattle well. 



I shall now answer the following of thy ques- 

 tions, under the same general head: 



4th Query. Is it considered judicious to sow 

 clover seed and orchard grass seed together to 

 graze upon? 



5th Query. Is it considered sound economy to sow 

 the above grasses together for hay? In either case, 

 what are the respective pro portions of seed of each 

 that should be sown to the acre? 



6th Query. Will the orchard grass mature 

 sufficiently early to be cut with the clover lor 

 hay. 



7th Query. What quantity of orchard grass 

 when sown alone, should be sown on an acre in- 

 tended for hay? 



8th Query. Should a largerquantity of orchard 

 grass be sown on an acre intended for grazing than 

 on one intended to be cut for hay? 



9th Query. Will herds grass bear grazing; 

 and is there much loss resulting from the hoofs of 

 the cattle? 



10th Which of all the artificial grasses within 

 your knowledge would you prefer for grazing, and 

 which for soiling? 



11th Query. Which of the artificial grasses 

 is the most profitable lor hay, regard being had to 

 its nutritious quality, facility of curing, and adap- 

 tation as food for cattle? 



I am in the regular practice of sowing from five 

 to six quarts of clover seed to the acre, in March, 

 on land that was sowed in t!ie.previous fall wiih 

 orchard grass, or tall meadow oat. They are. in 

 flower about the same time and are well calculated 

 to support the clover, and be mowed together. 

 The requisite quantity of orchard grass seed for 

 an acre, depends much on how well it has been 

 cleaned and prepared for sowing. I sow about 

 two bushels when clean, first preparing it as fol- 

 lows: — lay the seed about 'bur inches thick on a 

 floor; make it thoroughly damp by repeatedly wa- 

 tering it well, and care should be taken to turn it 

 frequently. It should remain thus for about 36 

 hours, which renders the seed heavier, causes it 

 to fall freer from the hand, and enables the sower 



