78 THE GRASSES OF TENNESSEE. 



producing principles 22.85, woody fibre 11.82, and mineral 

 matters 2.26, in one hundred parts. (Way.) A compari- 

 son of its relative value as a food will be made further 

 on. But the above nutritious specimen will never be pro- 

 duced, if the plant is allowed to stand too long. On the con- 

 trary, as a food it would become woody and worthless, all. 

 its starch, sugar, albuminoids, and other nutritive princi- 

 ples having been deposited in the seeds, and the stalk is 

 nothing more than a woody support. 



Cattle fed on this kind, or on hay that has been allowed 

 to get wet and ferment, will quickly lose their flesh and the 

 hair become rough. 



Timothy is exhaustive to the soil, and being a heavy 

 feeder, requires attention. No crop can be raised on ground, 

 that will not extract a certain amount of its vitality, but 

 unless something is taken the farmer would receive nothing. 

 Therefore, it is the duty of the farmer to supply by ma- 

 nures, the deficiency that occurs. And this is made the 

 more apparent from the fact, that, the man who applies the 

 most manure will invariably get the best returns for his labor. 

 On good, rich land, bottom is best, timothy will make two 

 tons per acre. By a heavy application of compost or manure 

 from the barn-yard, it can be raised to five tons, and the 

 straw lengthened from two feet, its usual height, to five and 

 even six feet, and from the same cause, the heads from two 

 inches to twelve inches in length. 



It is a great and sure bearer of seeds, but the seeds are 

 easily destroyed by heat in the mow, unless precautions are 

 used in caring for them. In fact, so many adulterations, 

 and non-germinating seeds are thrown upon the market, it 

 would be well for each farmer to save his own seed, by de- 

 voting a certain amount of ground to it. Let the timothy 

 get fully ripe, and, by adjusting the mower, save as little stalk 

 with the seeds as possible. This should becarefully spread 

 and beat out as soon as convenient, and it is easily done. 



The time of sowing is various. If sown in the spring it 



