PREFACE 



N preparing this volume the object has been 

 to present, in connected form, the main facts 

 concerning the grasses grown on American 

 farms in so far, at least, as these facts are of 

 interest to the farmer. Actual practice in grass grow- 

 ing has been set forth wherever information concern- 

 ing it has been available. The writer has attempted 

 to view every phase of the subject from the farmer's 

 standpoint with what measure of success the reader 

 must judge for himself. 



The country may be divided into four regions, each 

 of which presents a different set of problems. In 

 the region of timothy, clover, and blue-grass, grass 

 problems are comparatively unimportant; they relate 

 mainly to methods of growing and utilizing well-known 

 grasses, and to methods of improving these grasses by 

 separating them into their constituent varieties and 

 selecting out the best. This region covers the North- 

 eastern quarter of the country, and certain localities in 

 the West and the Middle South. In the South, while 

 excellent grasses are not wanting, it happens that most 

 of the grasses best adapted to the region possess char- 

 acteristics which render their management on the farm 

 a matter of much difficulty. This subject is discussed 

 at length in the chapter on Bermuda and Johnson 

 grasses. Grasses having fewer objectionable features 



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