DISEASES AND INSECTS 347 



also a little more difficult to cure at this stage than when cut a week 

 or two later. For these reasons, those who grow hay for market 

 usually cut it rather mature. 



Composition and Feeding Value. Timothy hay is rather low 

 in protein, and would therefore be classed with the feeds suitable for 

 fattening stock or mature animals rather than with the feeds for 

 young growing stock. Generally where timothy has been compared 

 ^ith clover in feeding either young stock or fat stock, it has not given 

 as good returns as clover hay unless considerable nitrogenous feed 

 was used as a balance in the grain ration. However, for horses, it 

 is generally preferred as a hay to red clover, the ration being balanced 

 by the use of nitrogenous concentrates. This is especially true with 

 livery horses in the cities, as clover hay has a rather loosening effect 

 on the bowels. On the farms, generally, a mixture of clover and 

 timothy is preferred to pure timothy. 



Yield and Life History. Timothy is propagated from year to 

 year by means of small bulblets. New bulblets are formed each year 

 about the time timothy is in seed. These bulblets are attached to 

 the base of the old stems. They develop during the fall, live over 

 winter, and produce the new stems and seed stalks the following year. 

 As soon as the plant has produced seed, the old stem and bulblet dies, 

 but meantime a new one is formed for the following year. 



Under ordinary conditions, timothy usually produces its maxi- 

 mum crop the second or third year after sowing, after which it is 

 likely to decline more or less. However, this decline seems to de- 

 pend very largely on available fertility, the application of fertilizers 

 and manure will keep a sod in a highly productive condition for 

 many years. In fact, old timothy sods are known on rich, moist land 

 to remain in productive condition for more than fifty years. 



Diseases and Insects. Timothy smut is more or less common, 

 and in some regions has a decidedly injurious effect on the yield. 

 The extent of its injury is usually not known, since the smutty plants 

 fail to grow large, and their presence would not be observed in a 

 casual examination. Timothy rust occasionally does some harm, 

 but is not considered serious. 



Insect enemies do very little harm. The timothy straw worm is 

 probably the most common. 



