SOME REQUISITES FOR SUCCESS IN A GRASS. 399 



viow tlu) niicroscoijc always revealed minierous bacteria in the 

 water taken from tubes in which the grass had fermented. 



" It is commonly held to be quite improper to bale new-made 

 hay, no matter how dry the hay may be. The waste of nitrogen 

 from hay by long-continued keeping has repeatedly been noticed 

 before by agricultural chemists. It follows that although the 

 popular belief that the new hay is bad for animals may be true 

 enough, old hay is not necessarily good hay." 



Saving Seeds.— Instead of placing all the notes on this topic 

 under this heading the reader will consult what is said on saving 

 seeds of orchard grass, tall oat-grass, June grass, and red clover. 



CHAPTER XIIL 



LOOK THE WORLD OVER FOR BETTER GRASSES AND IM- 

 PROVE THOSE WE NOW HAVE. 



Some Requisites for Success iu a Grass.— J. J. Thomas, in 

 the Xew York Agricultural Keport for 1843, says : 



" Some of the essentials to the success of grasses are 1st. They 



should produce seed in sufficient abundance, which may be col- 

 lected without difficulty. 2d. Where used in mixtures they 

 should not exclude others, as is the case with Poa pmtensis. 3d. 

 They should not be so tenacious of life as to become troublesome 

 weeds in rotation, as Triticnm repots. 4th. Some are valuable 

 for close pasturage, which become too hard and wiry for mead- 

 ows, as the hard fescue grass, oth. Some are chiefly adapted to 

 moist land, as red-top and ribbon grass; some for strong soils. 

 as Timothy; some for growing in the shade, as Poa nemorahs; 

 and iu experiments these specific qualities should not be forgot- 

 ten." 



As Dr. Bessey, of Nebraska, puts it : " The qualities which 



