The Grasses Including Indian Corn. 167 



to rely on blue-grass pasture for a steady and uniform feed supply 

 for his cattle thruout the whole season. Accordingly he under- 

 stocks the pasture in spring so that the excess of herbage during 

 May and June remains to be drawn upon during the midsum- 

 mer dormant period, or he fully stocks it and makes up the later 

 shortage by partial soilage. In some districts it has been found 

 profitable to graze blue-grass pastures lightly, or not at all, in sum- 

 mer, and allow the self -cured herbage to stand for winter grazing. 

 Kentucky blue-grass is primarily a pasture grass and should be so 

 regarded. (327) 



224. Timothy, PJileum pratense. — The well known grass called 

 timothy, or herd's grass, yields a large part of all the hay used on 

 the farms of the northeastern United States and probably three- 

 fourths of all that marketed in the cities. Timothy seeds, large and 

 easily recognized, are produced in abundance and long retain their 

 vitality. The grass cures easily into hay, and a field seeded to 

 timothy is quickly established and usually holds well. These points 

 of merit make it a favorite with the farmer. Timothy hay from 

 nearly ripened grass is usually bright, quite free from dust, and 

 much liked by driving horses, which get most of their nourishment 

 from oats or other grains. (429) These qualities satisfy the city 

 buyer. But timothy hay is not desirable as the sole forage crop 

 on well managed farms, because the yield is not particularly large 

 and there are other and better plants which, in part, may take 

 its place. Fodder corn, hay from the cereals — oats, wheat, rye, 

 or barley, — mixed clover and timothy hay, or pure clover hay are 

 all available and desirable substitutes in many cases. (540, 664) 



Red or alsike clover should always be sow^n with timothy, for the 

 combination furnishes more and superior hay, even for horses. 

 Grown together, the hay of the first season will consist largely of 

 clover. With the close of the second season most of the clover dis- 

 appears and the decaying clover roots will nourish the timothy which 

 remains, so that a much larger yield of that grass is thereby ob- 

 tained. The largest returns of timothy hay are secured by delaying 

 harvest until the grass is nearly mature. (238) Late-cut hay is 

 usually quite free from dust and is satisfactory for horses and fatten- 

 ing cattle, while early-cut timothy is superior for cows, young stock, 

 and sheep. Timothy hay grown at the Minnesota Station^ on ma- 

 nured soil contained 25 per ct. more crude protein than that from 

 the same soil without manure. (546, 547, 554) 



^ Bill. 101. 



