AGRICULTURAL GRASSES 61 



is allowed to mature seed, little or no aftermath is to be 

 expected. 



This grass is generally regarded as a late variety, and cor- 

 rectly so, because it flowers in July. StiU, the early herbage 

 is good, and sheep may be run over a pasture containing a 

 large proportion of it until late in spring without endangering 

 the crop of hay. The plant is really mown to greatest advan- 

 tage before the ears are out of their sheaths, having regard to 

 the quality of the hay and the quantity of the aftermath. It 

 should be clearly understood that I am here alluding to the 

 treatment of a meadow containing an unusual proportion of 

 this grass. 



When gro^wTi alone as a fodder plant, Timothy may be 

 allowed to remain uncut not only until in fuU flower, but even 

 for ten days or a fortnight later, and dming that time the 

 feeding vidue will be augmented. Sinclair says that, ' subject 

 to the weather being such as to keep it in growth, every two 

 days' growth after flowering will increase its nutritive value as 

 much as any eight days' growth before that period.' But these 

 hard wiry stalks, when di'ied, can scarcely be called hay, and 

 although they may be nutritious, it is deshable to reduce them 

 to chaff before they are given to cattle. 



Timothy should form a constituent of every permanent 

 prescription for heavy soils, but as in recent years there has 

 been a tendency to give undue prominence to this grass, 

 I consider it necessaiy to say that an excessive proportion 

 in a pasture may be mischievous. The herbage is coarse, 

 the stalks soon become hard, and in that state the increased 

 feeding value is of no service if cattle refuse to graze them, 

 as they undoubtedly do ; or if the abundant presence of this 

 grass reduces the price of the hay. 



When seed is freely shed there is a danger that the 

 plant will take almost exclusive possession of the land, 

 especially on those formations which favom* its growth. And 

 once soAvn it is a very difficult grass to eradicate. All points 



