TIMOTHY. 73 



hence, so far it is objectionable for being fed to horses. 

 When the crop is to be harvested to provide hay for 

 horses, or that is to be put upon the market the aim 

 should be to cut it at the stage spoken of as the "second 

 bloom," which really means vs^hen it is about to go out 

 of bloom. This may be known by observing when but 

 a small part of the tops of the heads only continue to 

 produce blossoms. The bloom comes out a little late 

 on that part of the head and is likewise a little later 

 in departing. When cut at this stage all the weight 

 possible is secured in the crop, also all the nutriment 

 possible, and it is still relished by horses. 



In a great majority of instances but one crop is ob- 

 tained per year, but under the influence of liberal and 

 timely applications of commercial fertilizers, nitroge- 

 nous in character, it is sometimes possible to get two cut- 

 tings a year, but the second will consist chiefly of rowen, 

 that is of grass that has not yet reached the heading out 

 stage. From two such cuttings of timothy and red top 

 grown together, from 5 to 8 tons per acre have been 

 cut from year to year for several years past, by Mr. 

 Geo. jST. Clark of Higganum, Conn. At least 4 

 tons may be secured from one cutting of timothy alone 

 in a single season. Two tons per acre are considered 

 a really good crop. But the average crop is about 1^ 

 to 1^ tons. One ton per acre is considered a light crop. 



In some locations, as on the river bottoms and re- 

 claimed tide lands of Western Washington, as many as 

 twenty crops of good yielding timothy have been grown 

 in succession without apparent diminution in the yield. 

 On certain prairie soils where moisture is lacking the 



