70 GRASSES AND HOW TO GROW THEM. 



clover. A mixture of timothy and alsike clover only 

 is usually preferred as hay for the market to a mixture 

 consisting of timothy, alsike clover and red top. 



When the crop is sown to produce seed, a less quan- 

 tity will suffice than when it is sown for hay. When 

 the crop grows quite thickly, the size of the heads is 

 reduced; when it is sown to produce a fine quality of 

 hay, of course thick seeding must be resorted to. Tim- 

 othy is seldom sown alone for permanent pasture, but 

 if it should be thus sown heavy seeding ought to be 

 given. When used as a factor in permanent pastures 

 from 3 to 4 pounds per acre ought to suffice. 



Pasturing. — In some sections of the prairie, as where 

 for instance the conditions have proved too cold, and 

 it may be too dry also for clover, and where blue grass 

 or Russian brome has not yet been introduced, timothy 

 is about the only cultivated grass used in providing pas- 

 ture, and yet it is not pre-eminently a pasture plant. 

 This has doubtless arisen from necessity rather than 

 from choice in areas not very long settled and in which 

 the question of pastures from cultivated grasses has 

 not yet been given much attention. The bulk of the 

 growth for the season is made before the arrival of mid- 

 summer and if not eaten down until well advanced in 

 growth, the plants are not highly relished by live stock. 

 Particularly is this true of it after the heads have ap- 

 peared. Although it stands pastiiring well when the 

 conditions for growth are generally favorable, on cer- 

 tain of the soils of the prairie close pasturing will cause 

 it to fail within a very limited number of years. For 

 this, doubtless, lack of moisture is in part responsible, 



