306 KILLED BY CLOSE MOWING. 



3. All attempts at close shaving the sward should be 

 avoided while using the scythe, and in gauging mow- 

 ing machines care should be taken to run them so high 

 that they will not cut the Timothy below the second 

 joint above the tuber. 



1 have frequently pulled up the bulbous roots of 

 Timothy from the stubble, from which a heavy crop had 

 been cut with the scythe, while in flower, for the pur- 

 pose of studying the changes which were taking place 

 in these tubers, and have found them very similar to 

 those represented in Figs. 159 and 160, not only on 

 moist, damp soils, but also on soils comparatively dry. 

 Any farmer can satisfy himself of the correctness of 

 these representations by a little observation in his own 

 fields ; and, as the point is of practical importance, it is 

 worthy of careful attention. 



The facts above alluded to have fallen under the ob- 

 servation of a practical farmer, who writes me as fol- 

 lows : " The proper time to cut Timothy is after the 

 seed is formed, and is full in the milk. It will then give 

 about twenty per cent, more weight than when it is just 

 coming into the blossom, and the cattle will eat twenty 

 per cent, less and keep on their flesh. And I prefer 

 also to cut it at that stage of its growth, on account of 

 the roots being better able to withstand the drought. 

 It should be cut four inches from the ground, as most 

 of the Timothy is killed by mowing close and early, 

 before it has come to maturity. I have kept Timothy 

 thick and strong in the land six years by following this 

 method. I have noticed that most of it has died out 

 by once or twice close and early mowing, before the 

 grass has come to maturity. If it is dry weather, it is 

 sure to die when so cut. I lost a whole field of it by 

 mowing too close and early, and I consider the four 

 inches at the bottom of coarse Timothy of little value." 



