298 AMERICAN CATTLE. 



scarcely be improved when well established, although other kinds 

 may assist in making up a variety, and filling the surface with 

 a compact, well rooted turf. 



We say these grasses grow, irrespective of the geological com- 

 position of the soil. Tliey do so, but not in equal luxuriance in 

 some formations, that they do in others. For instance : In strong 

 limestone soils of great richness, as in the clayey loams of some 

 of our States, the June, or spear grass, by its luxuriance, has 

 taken the distinctive name of "blue grass." Of this, there are 

 two varieties, classed by the botanists as poapretensis, and poa com- 

 pressa; the former, deeper in color, is the "blue grass" proper; 

 the latter, lighter in shade, and somewhat earlier in ripening, is 

 sometimes called " green grass," and both are about equally 

 nutritious. The compressa is known by the stalk being flat at 

 the joints, while the other is round. So marked a character has 

 the poa pretensis taken from the rich limestone soils on which it 

 luxuriates, as to be, by many, supposed a distinct variety, and 

 frequently called "Kentucky" blue grass; while all that Ken- 

 tucky has done, is to give it a marked superiority of growth, 

 on its strong limestone land. That superior growth and quality 

 is equally given by all soils, of the same distinctive character, in 

 other States, or Territories. The white clover — trifolium repens — 

 is almost always its companion in the more northern latitudes, 

 and only in less amount where the richer quality of the soil 

 pushes the blue grass into a more luxuriant preponderance. 



"Where land has been some years laid down, other grasses 

 work in, and on analyzing the products of an acre of old pasture, 

 several varieties may be found, all nutritious; but the poa's are 

 usually the best. 



These various grasses, intermixed, are the very best for mak- 

 ing either milk, or beef. They seldom, or never need breaking 

 up, or re-seeding on dry lands, and as a rule, the older the pas- 

 tures, the better and more nutritious the feed. They are good 



