68 PLAIN AND PLEASANT TALK 



their support from the air. Indeed, this is the lesson 

 which Nature teaches us, for a dozen kinds of grass may 

 oftentimes be found growing wild on a single square foot. 



The English farmer sows from four to seven or eight 

 kinds of grass-seed, and sometimes as high as twelve or 

 fourteen, each one of Avhich is destined to answer some 

 special end, and the whole taken together constitute as it 

 were, a perfect grass. 



We subjoin the quantity and kind of seed per acre re- 

 commended by English authorities, that our readers may 

 have an idea of the English method, and derive such benefit 

 from it as their circumstances will admit of: 



Smooth-stalked poa, 8 quarts. 



Rough-stalked poa, 8 " 



Meadow fescue, 12 " 



Meadow fox-tail, 8 " 



Crested dog's-tail, 6 " 



Rib-grass, 4 " 



Timothy-grass, 4 " 



Yellow oat-grass, 4 " 



Perennial rye-grass, 12 " 



Cock's foot, 4 " 



Yarrow, 4 *' 



Sweet-scented vernal, 2 '* 



White clover, 6 lbs. 



Cow-grass, 4 " 



and annual meadow-grass. 



These seeds may, for the most part, be had of eastern 

 dealers, though not probably in the "West. 



With blue grass we should join orchard grass, say a 

 bushel to the acre — white clover five pounds, red clover 

 ten pounds, and sweet-scented vernal {antlioxanthuni odo- 

 ratum) say three pounds. 



This last grass is remarkably early in the spring, and 

 peculiarly fragrant ; indeed, it is supposed that the famous 

 spring butter of Philadelphia derives its peculiar flavor from 

 this grass, and we should include it in every mixture to be 



