1 6 ILLmorS STATE DAIRYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



tract of excellent agricultural lands. This meadow of Mr. Drake''s 

 has been cultivated and seeded to tame grass. I will say that I 

 seeded about nine acres of Hungarian stubble land, and cut about 

 two tons per acre the first mowing, on the farm of Drake''s. I have a 

 sample of the grass grown on that thirty-three acres, which I wish 

 to call special attention to the rapid development of this seeding, 

 caused by good drainae:e,as the soil on the Everson lot was considered 

 to be inferior to Drake''s lot. Hence here is a proposition demon- 

 strated, that the growth of cultivated grasses will depend upon the 

 condition of the drainage of the soil, as the yield of hay on Messrs. 

 Everson's was about one and one-half tons per acre, while on Drake's 

 it was but about three-fourths of a ton per acre. Again, the thick- 

 ness of the sward will be in proportion to the dryness of the soil. 



I am pleased to report to your respected secretary that we have 

 meadow land that was cultivated and reseeded under our personal 

 supervision that is yielding three tons of good, nutricious hay per 

 acre ; also pastures that are producing good grass in sufficient quanti- 

 ties to supply all the feed necessary for neat stock, at the rate of one 

 acre per head, through the feeding season. Those pasture lands are 

 reseeded with a large variety of grass seed, adapted to suit the condi- 

 tion of the soil. We find the first stratum to be nature's combina- 

 tion, as it has received the grasses from the rains and also from de- 

 cayed vegetation, which it has utilized to promote a rapid growth, as 

 is demonstrated by the specimen in our collection. 



I object to the use of the plow, as it destroys many valuable 

 varieties of grasses that are not reseeded, which greatly increase the 

 value of these lands in promoting the interests of the dairyman and 

 stock-grower. Again, when the low grass land has been broken with 

 the plow, it is very uncertain when you will re-establish another sod 

 of any strength and vigor, as the grass will yearly decrease until it is 

 entirely gone and its place is taken bf obnoxious weeds, which is 

 very often demonstrated in various sections of the North-west. When" 

 we introduce the cultivated grasses into the soil of the native grass 

 land by the system of surface-culture, the young plant has the pro- 

 tection of a portion of the native grass until it gains sufficient growth 

 to withstand the changing influence of the atmosphere to which it is 

 exposed. Again, when the surface of the soil is preserved by the 

 system of surface-culture there is a steady decay of the mature grass, 

 and it becomes plant food for the young plant of grass, till they are 

 entirely destroyed by the cultivated ones. Again, I object to the 



