204 MARKET GARDENING. 



Either of these grasses, no doubt, can, by selection, 

 be improved as respects productiveness and durability 

 they are not referred to as the only ones, or the best ones, 

 but as examples of sorts already pastured upon by mil- 

 lions of horses, cattle and sheep. Why should not these 

 and others be brought to the Southeastern States, as 

 most efficient aids in the diversification of agricultural 

 practice ? 



Another American perennial grass not generally 

 known, but of admirable character for Southern sections, 

 is the Texas Blue grass (Poa aracliniferd) discovered on 

 the prairies of that State in 1853. It blossoms there 

 about the last of March, and ripens its seed about the 

 middle of April. Its habit, in Southern States, is much 

 stronger than Kentucky Blue grass. In Texas, under 

 the severest drouths, it sometimes lags a little, but, after 

 autumn rains, quickly springs into most vigorous growth, 

 and continues to grow all winter. It makes a strong 

 top growth for hay, and a matted sod standing contin- 

 ued pasturing. It roots deeply and spreads rapidly by 

 buds from long, strong, underground stems, which, by 

 their vigor, resist the encroachment of Bermuda grass. 

 Once established, it will continue to stand for a lifetime. 

 It is best propagated by cuttings of the roots, 20,000 set 

 to the acre, or, say, one to each two square feet. Six 

 pounds of seed are sown to the acre. 



These, and other grasses, will, before long, be 

 brought into general cultivation, indeed, all of our cul- 

 tivated grasses are selections from wild forms ; no doubt 

 very inferior, originally; for instance, Timothy, now 

 the leading hay grass north of the cotton belt, was found 

 growing wild in the hilly or mountainous districts, by 

 the early American colonists, and sent to England in 

 1763, where it at once assumed the highest rank over 

 the four or five kinds of grasses then cultivated. Indeed, 

 up to 1815, only four or five kinds were cultivated, and 



