92 THE GRASSES OF TENNESSEE. 



Water , 14 3 



Organic matter ? 81. 1 



Ash 4.6 



Albuminoids 11. 6 



Carbohydrates 40.7 



Crude fibre 28.9 



/Fat 2.7 



The albuminoids are the nitrogenous compounds or flesh- 

 formers; the carbohydrates are the non-nitrogenous com- 

 pounds, and includes the fat, starch, sugar, pectin, etc. Mr. 

 Sinclair, by a series of experiments carefully conducted, 

 demonstrated that Orchard grass, more than any other grass, 

 when young, yields the greatest amount of nutrition. 



It is of great importance that the seed from hardy plants 

 be sown. In no department of agriculture does the old 

 maxim " like produces like " obtain in a greater degree than 

 in this grass. Seed from weakly, sickly plants will pro- 

 duce the same kind of offspring, however fertile the soil 

 may be. Messrs. Lawson and Son, by selecting the best 

 seed, and sowing for several years -none but the best of each 

 generation, established a new variety of Orchard grass, 

 known by its great size and vigor as the Giant Cock's foot. 

 Let farmers be careful, therefore, in saving seed to sow from 

 the most vigorous growth. 



The reason why so many bare spots are seen in pastures 

 and meadows of this grass is due to two causes : 1st, the 

 land is generally not half prepared to receive the seed ; and 

 2d, there is a penny wise and pound foolish policy in sow- 

 ing too few seed. Let the land be well broken by deep and 

 thorough plowing, and then be finely pulverized by repeated 

 harrowings. Sow the seed, the thicker the better, and run 

 a light brush or harrow over the land, so as to cover the 

 seed slightly. Mr. W. D. Gallagher sums the whole mat- 

 ter up : " Plow the land deep, pulverize the soil well, be 

 generous as to the quantity of seed, let that seed be good, 

 sow it evenly, give the land as good treatment afterwards 

 as is given to meadow lands in timothy." 



