20 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 



sive moisture of the soil. I am well satisfied that timothy is far 

 more superior as a pasture grass than for hay, as it is No. 7 in the 

 grade list of grasses for its comparative value. And again, timothy 

 will lose about 55 or 60 per cent, in curing, while the orchard will 

 lose only 29 per cent., meadow fescue 31 per cent., foul meadow 44, 

 rough meadow 31, and red-top 48 per cent. 



I wish to call the attention of dairymen to this fact : that timo- 

 thy is not so valuable a grass as it is accredited to be. I suspect that 

 this position will draw out criticism from those who believe that 

 timothy is superior to all other varieties of grass. In relation to al- 

 falfa, it is thoroughly tested that there are many thousands of acres 

 of land in Wisconsin upon which the alfalfa will become the leading 

 crop for the dairy herd. I have examined prime fields of the alfalfa 

 growing in many sections of the state. The class of soil that is natu- 

 ral for the growth of alfalfa is a rich loam underlaid with clay -mixed 

 sand subsoil, and that stratum resting upon gravel formation, as the 

 alfalfa will root very deep, and this class of soil is thoroughly under- 

 drained in its natural formation. In regard to this clover I will 

 submit the following report : The sapling or mammoth variety is a 

 very valuable clover, if it is properly cultivated, for several reasons, 

 to-wit : 1st. It has a porous root which will withstand the influence 

 of the alternate thawing and freezing which is so disastrous to the 

 common red clover. 2d. It produces a very large amount of feed 

 per acre. I would recommend feeding this clover until about the 

 10th of June. Then cut a crop of hay or seed. Under this treatment 

 you will produce a very prime quality of hay, as the columns will 

 not be coarse, as though it had not been cropped off". 3d. For a fer- 

 tilizer I would allow it to grow till the blossoms are formed. Then 

 summer fallow the field. Alsike clover is a valuable plant. The 

 alsike is fast becoming a favorite with those that have tested its 

 merit. I have used a large amount of this seed the past two years in 

 the combination of seeds. I use about one pound of seed per acre. 

 I have a specimen of this clover that measures five feet in length. I 

 am using it quite freely in the lowland. It is a very hardy plant,and 

 does not winterkill like common red clover, as it has a fibrous root. 

 I would not sow this seed upon too dry soils, as it dwarfs in its growth. 

 The Italian clover is doing very well in this secton of this state. It 

 has a very soft stem ; is not harsh as the common red clover. I have 

 a specimen that I selected the past summer that measures five feet in 

 length. 



