AGRICULTURAL GRASSES 69 



the first year after being sown, but unless it is properly fed 

 there is a tendency to weakness in the third or fourth year ; 

 and considering the tax which it necessarily makes on the soil, 

 this will occasion no surprise. 



No other grass will bear extremes of heat and cold better 

 than Timothy, and in rigorous winters, which severely test the 

 endurance of other hardy grasses, this will stand the trial 

 uninjured. All cattle eat the herbage greedily, and horses 

 manifest especial fondness for it. Timothy adds materially to 

 the weight of the hay crop, and is not only highly nutritious 

 while young, but the feeding value increases until the seed is 

 formed. If, however, the plant 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. Still, 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 quantity of this 

 grass. 



When grown alone as a fodder plant, Timothy may not 

 only be allowed to remain uncut until in full flower, but even 

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

 feeding value 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 dried, can scarcely be called hay, and 

 although they may be nutritious, it is necessary 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 



