GRASSES. 145 



many is very highly esteemed. It is recommended in all mix- 

 tures compounded for the production of continuous herbage 

 through the season. Kentucky Blue grass is a good turf former 

 and a good pasture grass where the land is rich, but does best 

 upon strongly calcareous soils. It is the grass which has made 

 the pastures of portions of Kentucky and Tennessee so justly 

 famous. English Blue grass is, I think, a better pasture grass 

 for New England than Kentucky Blue grass. It will grow on a 

 greater variety of soils. It will grow on soils so thin and poor 

 that little else will grow. On good land its productiveness is 

 scarcely inferior to that of Kentucky Blue grass, and it is equally 

 tender and nutritious. It makes a very firm sod, and withstands 

 the tramping of stock better than many other kinds. The culti- 

 vation of this grass in certain portions of Virginia has changed 

 poverty-stricken districts to areas of wealth and prosperity. 

 This has been effected by the cultivation of this English Blue 

 grass and the raising of dairy stock. From my knowledge of 

 New England pastures, I can think of no grass that I would 

 more highly recommend. Lowland pastures should always con- 

 tain Bedtop in some of its varieties. It makes the cleanest, 

 nicest-looking, and sweetest turf of any grass I know. The fine- 

 leafed varieties should be selected for cultivation in pastures. 

 Of the Eescues, ]\readow Fescue is a valuable pasture grass, as 

 already intimated, where the soil is good ; and on sandy soils Red 

 Fescue is an excellent variety. On the dry uplands Sheep's 

 Fescue is perhaps one of the best species we can cultivate, associ- 

 ating with it English Blue grass. 



There is nothing more pleasing to the eye or more beautiful 

 than a well-kept lawn. There is nothing that speaks more 

 strongly for the owner of a house than the lawn which fronts it. 

 The lawn upon the outside should be like the carpets within, and 

 be kept clean with equal care. It is capable of giving pleasure 

 to vastly more people than can enter the door and see the beauti- 

 ful Wiltons and moquettes, for every passer-by may enjoy it. A 

 good lawn is one of the simplest things to produce, yet one of 

 the most difficult ; at least one may reasonably judge it to be 

 difficult by the vast array of wretched failures that appear in 

 almost every neighborhood. What the lawn needs is good turf, 

 and the climate here is excellently adapted to the production of 

 just such turf as is most desired. There are a great variety of 



