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MEADOW OAT GRASS (Avena pratemis.) 



This is a perennial grass, and is a native of Great Britain. 

 It is one of the few grasses that do best on a dry soil. It 

 grows to the height of only eighteen inches in its native 

 pastures. But here it is quite a different grass, and rises to 

 the height of from five to six feet. It will not grow well 

 on moist soils, but on rich upland or good sandy land it 

 grows with vigor. It deserves a place on every farm, as 

 the hay is excellent, and is greedily eaten by stock, and be- 

 sides, the yield is extremely large. Another advantage is 

 that the seed will be ripe before the hay turns yellow, so 

 that not only the hay will be saved, but a large amount of 

 seed can be secured ; upon a barn floor enough will shatter 

 out to supply the wants of most farmers. Or if the farmer 

 wishes to sell the seed, he can cut off the heads with a cradle 

 and let the mower follow for the hay. 



Should the autumn prove a wet one, a second crop can be 

 cut, but if there is not sufficient aftermath to justify cutting 

 do not pasture it, but allow it to grow on as long as it will, 

 and about Christmas it will turn over and the tops turn yel- 

 low, all prepared for the hungry stock, and it will continue 

 to sustain them until other grasses take its place. However, 

 should it be desired to use it for hay the succeeding year, 

 the stock should be removed about the middle of February. 



It will seed in the fall after being sown in the spring, 

 which is the proper time to sow it. Sow two bushels per 

 acre. The seed is very light and chaffy. It is a tussock 

 grass, and does not spread from the roots, consequently the 

 seed must be depended on for a stand. After the first sow- 

 ing, there will be no difficulty in obtaining seed, as the yield 

 is large. It affords, both for hay and pasture, perhaps more 

 green food than any grass we have. 



