CHAPTER XV 



PERENNIAL GRASSES 



TIMOTHY 



384. Origin. Timothy, Phleum pratense, is a native 

 of Europe and of eastern United States; its cultivation in 

 this country dates from about 1700. Timothy Hansen 

 first grew this grass in Maryland, where it was known as 

 Timothy's grass, and later as timothy. There has been 

 little change in timothy since it was first cultivated, and 

 only in the last few years have attempts been made to 

 improve it or to separate it into varieties. Even now, it is 

 not possible to purchase seed of any distinct variety of 

 timothy, though there is great variation among the plants. 

 The same statement may be made with equal truth regard- 

 ing all the other forage grasses and most of the leguminous 

 forage plants. In fact, many of them are little more than 

 plants brought in from the wild, with no effort at improve- 

 ment. There is much to be accomplished in the breeding of 

 forage crops for special purposes, and great increases in yields 

 of hay or pasture may be expected from careful work of this 

 kind. 



385. Description. Timothy is a rather deep-rooting 

 perennial grass, with stems or culms ranging from 6 or 8 

 inches to 6 feet high. The usual height is from 2J^ to 4 

 feet. The culms are usually straight, but they may be bent 

 or prostrate at the base. The lower node of the culm is 

 enlarged, forming a sort of bulb, a character peculiar to this 

 plant among the grasses. The culm leaves are much more 

 numerous than the basal leaves, making the plant valuable 



