10 



and what result to expect from it. It is graded like cotton, tobacco and 

 wheat, and it is the only hay that is in universal demand. -For this reason, 

 more than for any other, it is the most profitable, because the sale of it is 

 most certain. 



SOILS Timothy is a perennial grass and grows best upon a moist, 

 tenacious, rich soil. It does not thrive on high, dry or sandy lands, 

 however fertile they may be. The best situation is valley land having a 

 soil rich in calcareous matter and humus, not too loose or friable but 

 with a sufficiency of clay in its composition to make it reasonably com- 

 pact. Timothy starts slowly in the spring and it does not take so rank 

 a hold upon the soil as many other meadow grasses do. It is not suited 

 for pasturage, for it has but little aftermath and the tramping of stock 

 soon destroys it. 



In Tennessee the best lands for its growth are found in the valley of 

 East Tennessee upon calcareous soils, in the Central limestone basin of 

 Middle Tennessee, and in the northern and western counties of West 

 Tennessee. Many of the bottom lands on the Cumberland River and its 

 tributaries are eminently adapted to its growth. It is unfitted generally 

 for the dry and cherty lands of the Highland Rim. The conditions favor- 

 able for its growth, however, may be found in the elevated basins of 

 Montgomery, Robertson and Stewart counties, as well as those in Frank- 

 lin, Warren and other counties lying at the western base of the Cumber- 

 land Mountains where the soils have a large content of the carbonate of 

 lime. On all the bottom lands lying on the streams of those counties 

 suitable soils are found, except where there is a predominance of sand 

 and gravel. Many of the bottoms lying on little Tennessee River in East 

 Tennessee and on Pigeon River are admirably adapted to the growth 

 of timothy. Powell's Valley, in Claiborne county, furnishes soils capable 

 of growing very large crops. The writer has seen magnificent timothy 

 meadows in the elevated coves near the top of the Unaka mountains in 

 Johnson and Carter counties, where mists and rains are almost of daily 

 occurrence in summer. In general it may be said that the conditions 

 most favorable for the growing of timothy hay are: (1) A rich, tenacious, 

 calcareous soil with some humus; (2) a situation where moisture is re- 

 tained in the soil throughout the growing season, but in connection with 

 good drainage. 



PREPARATION After the selection of a suitable soil and situation 

 for the growth of timothy, the land should be well and thoroughly 

 broken. The depth of the plowing must be regulated by the depth of the 

 soil. On deep, rich, alluvial bottoms the deeper the land is plowed the 

 better. Care, however, must be taken in preparing thin soils not to throw 

 too much clay to the surface, for this will impair the fertility of the seed 

 bed and prevent the young plants from attaining a vigorous vitality. 

 When the soil has been well broken, and repeatedly harrowed until it is 

 thoroughly pulverized, it is in a condition to receive the seed. The best 

 time for sowing this grass in Tennessee is the last week in September or 

 the first week in October, after the dry hot weather has been tempered by 

 cool nights, heavy dews and frequent rains. It is best not to sow the 

 seed until the ground is moistened by rain, otherwise the heavy dews may 



