ILLINOIS STATE DAIEYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 65 



Thursday, 9 a. m. 



After calling the Convention to order the President 

 announced that he had received an invitation from the 

 proprietors of the Illinois Condensing Company, for all 

 the members of the Convention who wished to visit their 

 works in this city. 



On motion the Convention adjourned for one hour to 

 accept this invitation and visit the woiks. 



Upon the re-assembling of the members again, the 

 discussions were resumed, and Topic 8, " Grasses, the best 

 varieties for hay and pasture, as adapted to our climate," 

 was called for, when Thomas Milsom, of Flora, Illinois, 

 furnished the following paper: 



THOMAS MILSOM'S ADBHESS. 



Mr. President, Gentlemen of the Convention : I cannot see 

 for what reason the parties who made this programme selected me to open 

 the discussion on this important subject : " Grasses, the best varieties for 

 hay and pasture, as adapted to our climate." I am certain there are men 

 in this room, some of whom are to follow me, that have had far more 

 experience and know a great deal more about it than I do. 



I have for some time paid a good deal of attention to grass, for in a 

 country like Southern Illinois, where our soils are thin, in places very flat, 

 and again in others very subject to wash, and where we have raised nothing 

 but corn for the last — well ever since the prairie sod was first turned 

 under ; grass is our only salvation ; but what varieties I do not think I 

 have thoroughly solved. 



Red Top ranks among one of the foremost grasses of Southern 

 Illinois ; perhaps on account of its adaptability to our wet flat lands, or 

 because the seed is always in good demand. (We have shipped from the 

 town of Flora, alone, this summer, over fifty thousand bushels of Eed Top 



