1 62 -==,^ 



difficult, by reason of hardp^n, stones or habit- 

 ual wetness. Tliese should be improved as per- 

 manent meadows and pastures ; and it is ol the 

 first importance to the farmer to know the grass- 

 es which will reni',er them most conducive to 

 profit : for that our grass lands are as suscepti- 

 ble of improvement as our tillage grounds, hy a 

 iudicious selection of seeds, and suitable manage- 

 ment, must be apparent to every reflecting 

 mind The improvement and productiveness ol 

 our cattle and sheep husbandry, which at tins 

 time deservedly engages much of the public 

 attention, must depend materially on this branch 

 of farming. 



With a view to inform myself on this subject, 

 1 have been examining several British publica- 

 tions, which abound with information to the 

 English Farmer, and arc not without their inter- 

 est to the Amei-kun cultivator. But this informa- 

 tion is so dilTuse, and so much of it inapplicable 

 to our h.isliandry, that I hive been induced for 

 my own gratification and benefit, to collect 

 some of the most material facts in a condensed 

 form, which, with some remarks of my own, 1 

 herewith communicate for publication, should 

 you deem them worthy of a place in the Amer- 

 ican Farmer. 1 do it in the hope that its pub- 

 lication may induce experiments at home, and 

 elicit useful information from gentlemen of 

 science and practical knowledge on the subject 

 of grasses, particularly those which are indi- 

 genous to our country. The table is compiled 

 from the appendix to Davy's agricultural chem- 

 istry. It is to be regretted that it embraces only 

 nine species of American grasses. It, however, 

 contains several approved foreign kinds, most of 

 which have been more or less introduced among 

 us already. 



To those who do not possess Davy's work, 

 it may not be amiss to say, that the results stat- 

 ed in the table may be implicitly relied on for 

 correctness. The experiments were carefully 

 made by George Sinclair, under the direction, 

 and at the expense of the Duke of Bedford, at 

 Woburn, in England. 



S-oceet scented Vernal Grass. — This is a grass of 

 diminutive growth, and it will be seen by the 

 table, is not worth cultivating for hay. It is, 

 nevertheless, considered valuable in pasture, on 

 account of its affording very early feed, and 

 growing quick after being cropped. We are 

 advised by Muhlenburgh that it delights in 

 moist soils ; by the Bath papers that it does well 

 in clayey loams, and by Dickson, that it grows 

 in almost any soil, including bogs and sands. G. 

 Sinclair, says it is eaten by oxen, horses and 

 sheep, though not so freely as some other grass- 

 es are. 



Meadow Fox-tail, possesses all the advantages 

 of early growth with (he preceding, and is much 

 more abundant in product and nutriment. It 

 generally constitutes one of five or six kinds 

 which are sown together by the English farmers 

 for pasture ; and affords, withal, a tolerable 

 crop of hay. It does best in moist soi Is, whethe r 

 loams, clays, or reclaimed bogs. Sheep and 

 horses have a better relish for it, says G. Sin- 

 clair, than oxen. 



Rough CocVs fool. — Dr. Muhlenburgh and T. 

 Cooper, concur in the opinion that this is the 

 orchard grass, of the United States ; though 

 somsjthat 1 haveraised as orchard grass, does not 

 seem to correspoad with the figure oltheDactijlis 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Glomerata, in the 2d vol. of Dickson's Farmer's! 

 Companion. In England cock's foot is taking 

 the place of rye grass,, with clovers. Arthur 

 Young speaks in high commendation of it; 

 thougli all writers concur in the opinion, that it 

 should be frequently and closely cropped, either 

 with the scythe or cattle, to reap the full benefit 

 of its great merits. 1 should prefer it to almost 

 every other grass; and cows are very fond of 

 it. Cooper rates it above timothy, and says it 

 is gradually taking the place of the latter, among 

 the best farmers \about Philadelphia. This is 

 probably owing to the fact, that it is earlier 

 than timothy, and of course more suitable to 

 cut with clover for hay. Its growth is early, 

 and rapid after it has been cropped. It does 

 well on loams and sands, and grows well in shade. 

 If further facts are wanting in favor of this 

 o-rass, for pasture, the reader will find it in the 

 American Farmer of the 14lh November, in an 

 article signed Curwen, which, if I mistake not, 

 means Col. Powell, of the neighborhood of Phil- 

 adelphia, a gentleman who combines as much 

 science with judicious practice, especially in cat- 

 tle and grass husbandry, as any person in the 

 union. He says, " 1 have tried orchard grass 

 for ten years. It produces more pasturage than 

 any artilicial grass 1 have seen in .America." 

 Sow two bushels of seed on an acre. 



Tall Oat grass. — Both Arator, (Mr. Taylor,) 

 and Dr. Muhlenburgh have placed this at the 

 head of their lists of grasses, vvhich they have 

 recommended to the attention of the American 

 Farmer. The latter sa^s it is of all others the 

 earliest and best grass for green fodder and bay. 

 The Doctor was probably not advised of its de- 

 ficiency in nutritive matter, as indicated in the 

 foregoing table. It possesses the advantage of 

 early, quick and late growth, for which the 

 cock's foot is esteemed, tillers well, and is ad- 

 mirably calculated for a pasture grass. 1 mea- 

 sured some on the 20th June, when in blossom 

 (when it should be cut for hay) and found it 

 tour and a half feet long. The latter math, 

 it will be perceived is nearly equal in weight, 

 and superior in nutritious matter, to the seed 

 crop. Sinclair says it thrives best on a strong 

 tenacious clay ; and Muhlenburgh prefers for 

 it a clover soil. Dickson speaks well of it ; 

 says it makes good hay, but is most beneficial 

 when retained in a close slate of feeding. I 

 have sown it in autumn and spring, with clover, 

 on a sandy loam, with good etlect. 



Tall Fescue, although a native grass, has not 

 fallen under my personal observation. If stands 

 highest, says Davy, according to the experi- 

 ments of the Duke of Bedford, of any grass, 

 properly so called, as to the quantity ol nutri- 

 tive matter afVorded by the whole crop, when 

 cut at the time of flowering; and meadow 

 cat's tail (timothy) grass aliords most fooil 

 when cut at the time the seed is ripe. It 

 grows naturally in wet grounds, in bog mead- 

 ows, and on the sides of ditches, often to the 

 height of four or five feet. Our ignorance of 

 agricultural botany, and of the intrinsic value 

 of this grass, can alone have prevented its 

 being more generally known and cultivated. It 

 must be very valuable for wet grounds, as 

 from its rapid growth it is calculated to smother 

 or keep down the coarser kinds which na- 

 turally abound in those situations. 

 Btjc grass, is exteusively cultivated in Scot- 



land, and the north of England, and whi 

 cock's foot has not superseded it, is general 

 mixed with clover seeds. It is rather declinii 

 in the public estimation. It does well in pastu 

 and as it contains much nutriment, is consid 

 ed valuable for cows and sheep. Dickson si 

 it does best in rich moist meadows. Youl 

 does not speak well of it. 



Red clover. — There are many species of tbi 

 trifolium, and several varieties of red clovei 

 Whether the kind we generally cultivate i 

 the praiense, or not, I am unable to determine 

 The character of red clover, as an anieliori 

 ing and fertilizing crop, is too generally kno' 

 to require illusiration. It cannot be depem 

 upon for permanent grass lands ; though it yiel 

 to no grass in value for alternating with 

 in convertablc Iiusbandry. It formerly was 

 indispensable in a course of crops in Norfo 

 England, (which has been considered pre-ei 

 nont for good tillage) as turnips ; and the ma 

 then was, and still is, "no turnips no cropi 

 But it appears from Young's survey of t' 

 county, that it cannot now be depended on 

 tener than once in l>om eight to twelve ye; 

 Trefoil, white clover, cock's toot, ray gr: 

 arc therefore alternated with red clover in tbt 

 grass years. There is reason to believe t! 

 neither red clover, nor other grasses, will 

 repeating for a course of years upon the 

 erality of soils. They exhaust the ground 

 the peculiar nutriment required for their s| 

 port. In Great Britain, white clover, tre 

 I rye grass or cock's foot are generally soj 

 I with red clover seeds. From twenty to thll 

 I pounds of seeds are sown to the acre. In 

 Inorlhern states, timothy is generally suwi 

 with clover; though it is evident from the U 

 jble that the mixture is an improper one fo 

 jhay; for the clover is fit for the scythe It 

 or fifteen days before the timothy has attaii 

 ed to maturity. If sown alone, from eight I 

 sixteen pounds of clover seed should be put c 

 an acre: more on old land, than on new. 



White, or Dutch clover, (Trifolium repens,)i 

 considered, in England, of importance to Ires 

 bandry, if we are to judge from the grea 

 quantity of lis seed which is there sown anno 

 ally. With us, many districts, produce it spot 

 fancously; but it is too seldom ioti'ji. Itshrinfc 

 greatly in drying, and does not contain t 

 much nutritive matter, as red clover : yet it! 

 value, as a pasture grass, is universally admit 

 ted. Its increase is very much facilitated h 

 a top dressing of gypsum, lime or ashes. 



Lucern, although aflbrding much more greeo 

 food, contains less nutriment in a single crop, 

 than red clover. It must, however, be borai 

 in mind, that it grows much quicker than clo- 

 ver, and will bear cutting twice- as ol"ten. h 

 the soiling system, an acre of lucern will keep 

 four cattle or horses from the f5th May to ibe 

 first, of October. 1 cut a piece last .summw 

 about tfie 15th May, and again about tlio 20tli 

 June, to feed green, and then ploughed tbe 

 ground, and cropped it with ruta baga, whicl 

 yielded sixteen tons the acre of roots, as fiw 

 as I ever saw. Mr. Fovvell (see Young's Nor- 

 folk, p. 345, derived a) clear profit of £/ViTll- 

 4d. per acre from his lucern, fed green lo 

 working horses. This is almost equal lo J60 

 the acre. An idea has prevailed, that, it will 

 not thrive in this latitude, (42—3) ; but the ex- 

 periraeDts of the late Chancellor Livingston, aad 



