CHAPTER VI. 



CULTURE OF GRASSES AND OTHER PLANTS REC- 

 OMMENDED FOR FODDER. 



As already stated, the grasses in summer, and hay in 

 winter, form the most natural and important food for 

 milch cows ; and, whatever other crops come in as ad- 

 ditional, these will form the basis of all systems of 

 feeding. 



The nutritive qualities of the grasses differ widely ; 

 and their value as feed for cows will depend, to a con- 

 siderable extent, on the management of pastures and 

 mowing-lands. 



If the turf of an old pasture is carefully examined, it 

 will be found to contain a large variety of grasses and 

 plants adapted for forage ; some of them valuable for 

 one purpose, and some for another. Some of them, 

 though possessing a lower percentage of nutritive 

 constituents than others, are particularly esteemed for 

 an early and luxuriant growth, furnishing a sweet feed 

 in early spring, before other grasses appear ; some of 

 them, for starting more rapidly than others, after being 

 eaten off by cattle, and consequently of great value as 

 pasture grasses. Most grasses w T ill be found to be of a 

 social character, and to do best in a large mixture with 

 other varieties. 



In forming a mixture for pasture grasses, the pecu- 

 liarities of eacli species should, therefore, be regarded : 

 15 



