200 AGRICULTURE 



hay. Timothy is the favorite meadow grass for pure hay, 

 and leads the market in all the great hay-buying centers. 

 For working horses, timothy is thought by many to be su- 

 perior to clover or to mixed forage. Pure red clover or 

 alfalfa is often desired for fattening stock. 



Meadow mixtures. The mixture to be used in seed- 

 ing a meadow will depend on the climate, soil and use to 

 which the forage is to be put. Red clover and timothy 

 are the most common mixture found throughout the north- 

 ern states, the proportion of seed used being about three- 

 fifths timothy and two-fifths clover. For damp undrained 

 soil, alsike clover is substituted for red clover, or mixed 

 with it. A very common mixture for average soils is the 

 following amounts per acre: 



Timothy 15 pounds 



Red clover 6 " 



Alsike clover 4 



This combination will produce about a half-and-half mix- 

 ture of hay the first year, with timothy predominating the 

 second year, and pure timothy thereafter. On very wet 

 soils, red-top may be substituted for the red clover. If the 

 soil is also strong in acid, it is best to omit both clovers, 

 and use the red-top with the timothy. 



Care of meadows. Under our system of rotation of 

 crops meadows are usually not left down more than from 

 two to four years, with sometimes a year or two of pastur- 

 ing before the sod is broken up for other crops. Most of 

 our meadows are therefore new and, like a strawberry bed, 

 must be constantly remade. 



One of the chief enemies of the meadow is weeds. They 

 not only hinder the newly seeded meadow from getting a 

 good start, but injure the value of hay, reducing the mar- 

 ket price. If allowed to grow in the meadow from year 



