90 PRACTICAL OPINIONS. 



become well set, and it does not arrive at its perfection 

 as a pasture grass till the sward is older than that ; and 

 hence it is not suited to alternate husbandry, or where 

 the land is to remain in grass only two or three years, 

 and then be ploughed up. 



In Kentucky, the best blue grass is found in partially 

 shaded pastures. A well-known farmer of that state, 

 in a communication to the Ohio Farmer, says : " In 

 our climate and soil, it is not only the most beautiful 

 of grasses, but the most valuable of crops. It is the 

 first deciduous plant which puts forth its leaves here ; 

 ripens its seed about the tenth of June, and then 

 remains green, if the summer is favorable in moisture, 

 during the summer months, growing slowly till about 

 the last of August, when it takes a second vigorous 

 growth, until the ground is frozen by winter's cold. 

 If the summer is dry, it dries up utterly, and will burn 

 if set on fire ; but even then, if the spring growth has 

 been left upon the ground, is very nutritious to all 

 grazing stock, and especially to sheep and cattle, and 

 all ruminating animals. When left to have all its fall 

 growth, it makes fine winter pasture for all kinds of 

 grazing animals. Cattle will not seek it through the 

 snow, but sheep, mules, and horses, will paw off the 

 snow and get plenty without any other food. When 

 covered with snow, cattle require some other feeding ; 

 otherwise they do well all winter upon it. 



" It makes also the best of hay. I have used it for 

 that for twenty years. It should be cut just as the 

 seeds begin to ripen, be well spread, and protected 

 from the dew at night by windrowing or cocking ; the 

 second evening stacked, with salt, or sheltered with 

 salt also. When properly cured, stock seem greatly to 

 prefer it to all other hay. I would not recommend it 

 for meadow, ^esjpejcially, however, because the yield is 



