GRASSES FOR PASTURES AKD MEADOWS. 69 



enumerates considerably over 100 varieties, the seeds of 

 whick he offers for sale in regular trade, and all these 

 are grown more or less by the English farmers, either 

 for annual fodder crops, for intermediate rotation, or for 

 permanent pastures and meadows. Included in this list 

 there are three species of agrostis, four of avena, five of 

 bromus, eleven of clover, ten of fescue, three of lolium, 

 seven of poa, three of oat grass, and fourteen different 

 forage plants for mixture in pastures. 



We here refer to some of these grasses which, from our 

 own knowledge or actual tests, we have found useful and 

 available for meadows and pastures and upon various 

 soils, and which we believe are indispensable for the use 

 of American dairymen. The leading seedsmen are offer- 

 ing various mixtures to meet the demand which has 

 arisen. It is not, however, to the best interests of 

 farmers to take whatever selection is offered to them. It 

 is better that they should select for themselves, with 

 a knowledge of their own soil and climate, and of the 

 grasses they would wish. The following grasses are 

 the most valuable for cultivation under the conditions 

 and for the purposes mentioned : 



Agrostis stolonifera, or white bent, is the most valua- 

 ble of all tlie grasses of the genus to which the well 

 known red-top belongs. It is often called Rhode Island 

 bent, and in the South florin. Its creeping root gives it 

 a permanent hold upon suitable soil, which is damp and 

 rich loam, and it is therefore valuable for pastures. It 

 has an early and late growth, and is exceedingly produc- 

 tive, having yielded on a rich reclaimed swamp as much 

 as 17,600 pounds of green grass or 7,740 pounds of hay 

 from one acre, cut at the time of blossoming. When the 

 seed was ripe the produce of uncured herbage was 19,050 

 pounds per acre. The yield is still heavier when sown in 

 reasonable proportion with other grasses. - 



Agrostis vulgaris, or the common red-top, is well 



