CATTLE FOOD. 299 



from early spring to late autumn, and if kept ungrazed during 

 the latter summer and autumn, where the ground is bare of snow, 

 and the climate mild, make an excellent winter forage, equal, per- 

 haps, to the best of hay. 



Beside these, there are varieties of local grasses, which grow 

 spontaneously in different parts of the country, quite nutritious 

 in substance, and on which cattle thrive well. The quality of 

 3uch grasses has only to be tested by use, to determine the 

 policy of retaining them. Timothy, and red clover, usually 

 30wn together for heavy crops, make palatable pasturage for cat- 

 tle, but are less relished, unless when young and fresh. When 

 closely cut, for hay, they are longer in making a new growth than 

 the pasture grasses we have described. They fail in making a close 

 turf, like the others, but add to the variety of a well stocked pas- 

 ture, and, to a certain extent, are desirable. So it is with the 

 jrchard grass, and some other varieties, that are sometimes mixed 

 mth them. 



Many of the prairie grasses are valuable while iu their spring 

 md summer growth. There are none whatever on which, early 

 n the season, stock thrive so rapidly as on some of these. We 

 lave known instances in which cattle, actually "on the lift," from 

 heir wretched winter fare, turned upon them early in the season, 

 lave become fair beef in six or eight weeks. They are wonder- 

 uUy nutritious, both in flesh, and milk. But the difSculty with 

 hese grasses is, as they ripen, they grow woody, and tough, thus 

 )ecoraing distasteful to the cattle, and the early autumnal frosts 

 :ill them utterly, when all their nutritive quality is destroyed. 

 By close and continuous feeding from year to year, they grad- 

 lallydie out, and the land works into the "tame" grasses. The 

 ilowing and thorough cultivation of the land, destroys the wild 

 jrass altogether, and then, with seeding, other and better kinds 

 luickly take their place. We have already referred to the native 

 ;rasses far West, and South, on which the buffalo ranges, which 



