BLUE-BOTTLE. 



been reared and fed on soaked bread and ve- 

 getable diet, on which they thrive as well as 

 the robin." (Nutttilfs Ornithology.} 



The Western Blue-bird (Sialiu occidentalis 

 of Townsend), is found along the Pacific coast 

 west of the Rocky Mountains. It possesses 

 many of the habits of the common kind, his 

 song being, however, described as more varied, 

 sweet, and tender than that of the common 

 blue-bird of the Atlantic states. 



The Arctic Blue-bird (the Sialla artlca of 

 Audubon), is a beautiful species found in the 

 highest latitudes of the North Western portions 

 of the American continent. See Nuttalfs Orni- 

 thology of American Lund Birds, Audubon, 

 Wilson, &c. 



BLUE-BOTTLE (Centaurea}. This is a 

 large herbaceous genus, which contains seve- 

 ral species known as weeds ; that, however, 

 which is peculiar to corn-fields is the corn 

 blue-bottle (Centaurea cyanus}. It grows 

 amongst corn, and its presence indicates care- 

 less farming. It is an annual, ripening its 

 seeds in autumn. It is also known by the 

 names of knapweed, matfellon, centaury, corn- 

 flower, and hurt-sickle. The expressed juice 

 of its blue flower, when mixed with cold alum- 

 water, may be used as a water colour for 

 painting, being a permanent colour. See 

 CENTAUBT. 



This pretty wild flower has been introduced 

 into our gardens for its elegance. The blue- 

 bottle grows a foot high ; the stalk is firm and 

 white, and the leaves are narrow, and of a 

 whitish-green. The root is hard and fibrous. 

 A decoction of the flowers with galls and cop- 

 peras alfbrds a good writing ink. This plant 

 is sometimes known among the common peo- 

 ple by the name of " wound herb." Any reli- 

 ance on the styptic properties of the leaves 

 might prove dangerous by losing time, and a 

 consequent waste of blood, before proper as- 

 sistance can be procured in extensive wounds. 

 Small wounds can unite without its aid. An 

 infusion of the flowers is slightly diuretic. 



BLUE-GRASS, wire-grass (Poa comprusa, 

 compressed or flattened poa. Plate 7, A). A 

 very common perennial grass in the United 

 States, found in fields, pastures, &c. It affords 

 a good nutritious pasture for cattle, but is not 

 so much esteemed as the green meadow-grass, 

 (Poa pratensis). Its great tenacity of life 

 makes it sometimes very troublesome in the 

 tillage of certain crops. (Flur. Caestrica.) 



The famous Kentucky blue-grass, Dr. Dar- 

 lington says, is the Poa pratensis, smooth- 

 stalked meadow-grass; green grass; (Plate 

 5, A) decidedly the most valuable of all the 

 American pasture grasses. It conies in spon- 

 taneously, in all rich, calcareous soils. 



The best time for sowing, says a writer in 

 the Western Fanner and Gardener, is as soon 

 as you can get ready after October; or any 

 time before the middle of March. 



Old fields, on which the sun can exert full 

 power, produce blue grass in the greatest 

 abundance, and of the best quality. Animals 

 feeding thereon without grain, keep better and 

 become fatter than on any other treatment; 

 but even wood-lands will produce good grass. 



If intended for old or permanent pasture, the 



BLUE GRASS. 



fields should be broken up in February or 

 March, and sown in oats. Then sow ten pound 

 of blue-grass seed, half a gallon of red clover- 

 seed, and if a little timothy or orchard-grass 

 be sprinkled on, so much the better. The 

 timothy or orchard-grass will give a quick 

 pasture, and afford protection to the blue-grass 

 until it gets a strong foot-hold, after which no 

 other grass can contend with it. The rains 

 will cover the seed sufficiently to insure vege- 

 tation. 



The following account of the blue grass is 

 from the Franklin Farmer. 



" This grass, which constitutes the glory of 

 Kentucky pastures, is esteemed superior to all 

 others for grazing. It flourishes only on cal- 

 careous soils. Opinions and practice vary 

 here, as to the best time of sowing it some 

 preferring September, for the same reasons, 

 chiefly, which relate to timothy or other 

 grasses, others preferring February or March, 

 to obviate the danger of the tender roots being 

 winter-killed. It is sown either on wood-land 

 or open ground in the latter case most gene- 

 rally after a succession of exhausting crops in 

 old fields. If sown on woodland, the leaves, 

 brush, and trash must be raked off or burnt. It 

 is particularly important to burn the leaves, 

 else the seed may be blown away with them 

 by the wind, or if not blown away, the leaves 

 may prevent the seed reaching the earth and 

 thus defeat their germination. Many of those 

 who sow in winter, prefer casting the seed on 

 the snow, as it enables them to effect the ope- 

 ration with more neatness and uniformity. In 

 woodlands, the grass must not be grazed the 

 first year, or at all events till after the seeds 

 have matured. In open land, the practice has 

 been adopted by some, of mixing timothy and 

 clover with blue grass, in which case, half a 

 bushel of the latter seed to the acre is suffi- 

 cient. The advantage resulting from this is, 

 that it secures at once, a well-covered pasture 

 that will bear considerable grazing the first 

 year. The blue grass, in a few years, expels 

 the other grasses, and takes entire possession 

 of the field. On open ground, it is frequently 

 sown in March upon wheat, rye, or oats. If the 

 season is favourable, it may be sown in April ; 

 but should the weather prove dry, a great por- 

 tion of the seed will be lost. It is the practice, 

 we believe, of most graziers, to put upon a 

 given pasture as much stock as it will main- 

 tain, without shifting them during the season, 

 as, besides saving labour, it renders the cattle 

 more quiet and contented. Others, however, 

 fence off their pastures into separate divisions, 

 to undergo a regular succession of periodical 

 grazings. This plan secures a constant sup- 

 ply of fresh grass, very grateful to the animals, 

 and is believed to be more economical, as 

 much less is trampled and rejected by the 

 cattle. The number of animals to the acre 

 must depend upon their size and the quality 

 and quantity of grass. The grass on open 

 ground is much more abundant, sweet and 

 nutritious, than on woodland, and consequently 

 will maintain much more stock, perhaps nearly 

 twice as much ; while open woodland will 

 produce much more and better grass than that 

 which is deeply shaded. The best graziers 



191 



