246 [Assembly 



TJie. annual meadow grass is the most common of all grasses, 

 being the first herbage with which nature covers the earth, the 

 root is annual ; it is said to be almost the only grass that will grow 

 near works and places wliere the smoke of coal abounds. For 

 this we cannot vouch, wo should incline to a different opinion 

 until we liad further evidence. As the ashes of hard coal in a 

 proper state will benefit more or less most grasses ; although 

 not as much as wood and vegetable ashes if so we do not see why 

 the smoke should be prejudicial. Though an annual grass, it is 

 found in most meadows and pastures perpetually flowering, and 

 affording an early sweet herbage, relished by all stock ; it is said 

 birds are extravagantly fond of it. It hardly requires sowing, 

 as it spings up every where of itself, partly from its dispersed 

 seeds, and partly from its roots and stems ; although called an 

 annual it's habits are more like a perennial. It is short and 

 belongs to the dwarf class. The English think highly of it both 

 for pasture and hay, especially the former ; its shortness is an 

 objection to it for the latter. It is very prolific, grows naturally 

 in all good meadows, mixed with other grasses, with little 

 trouble ; most good meadows have more or less of it in; milch 

 cows are very fond of it ; it is said to increase and enrich their 

 milk, and add to the flavor of their butter. A few persons do 

 not think so highly of it. 



Italian rye grass is cultivated in Italy, France, and oth^r parts 

 of Europe. There are a great variety of th;? rye grasses, end 

 some of them great favorites with the farmers of Great B.'itain, 

 others not as much so ; it depends, they say, a good deal on 

 locality and soil, and some of them will not thrive under a sud- 

 den change of locality, but dwindle, and run out, or disappear. 

 In our country it has never been much cultivated, and when it 

 has, we believe not with much success; at any rate, not with 

 enouoh to increase and spread its cultivation. The Italian 

 variety is said to be among the best, if not the very best. In a 

 number of the British Farmers' Magazine, published a few years 

 since, it is said: "This (Italian rye grass) has been tried ibr four 

 seasons, and proves to be superior to every other grass for win- 

 ter and much the earliest for feed, of any grass, in the spring; 

 but what renders it still more valuable as a feeding grass is, that 



