ILLINOIS STATE dairymen's ASSOCIATION. . 67 



too severe,) yet it will sooner or later, freeze out ; when in the low, flat 

 lands it will stand for from eight to ten years. Have seen two and one-half 

 tons per acre cut oiF this kind of land. 



As to what grass we should use for pasture I do not think any one 

 grass alone is good. We should mix them, and the more varieties the 

 better, as long as you leave orchard grass out. Red Top, Clover, Timothy, 

 and Blue Grass, make in our region a splendid pasture, although in time 

 the Timothy will disappear. 



Our county though, as a general thing, is not adapted to the growth 

 of Blue Grass, for the reason that our soils do not contain enough lime, but 

 we have no doubt as the country gets older, and artificial fertilizers are more 

 used, our soils will become more adapted to the growth of this best of all 

 pasture grasses. But before we can succeed in the cultivation of grasses^ 

 we must first put our land in shape to receive the seed, and this can only be 

 done by thorough cultivation ; plow deep, pulverize well, and thoroughly 

 drain your land, and then whatever grass is best adapted for the purposes 

 for which it is needed, is the grass to raise. 



We might speak of grass as a manure, but will only say land should 

 never be allowed to remain idle without being seeded down in some kind of 

 grass. There is no way in my judgment that land can be so cheaply 

 improved as by turning under a good stifi" sod. This will be very apparent 

 when we consider that the sod (Red Top,) on an acre of land, to the depth 

 of four inches, will make four hundred cords of sod, which being made 

 into compost, is equal to one hundred loads of barnyard manure. 



H. W. Mead was not a speaker. What little he knew 

 about grasses, he had learned from experience. He used 

 mostly Timothy and Clover. Red Top done well, but 

 would run out all other varieties. Blue grass was good, 

 so was June grass, to mix; Red Top, Foul Meadow, and 

 Blue Grass, were about as good as any he had tried; it 

 made a good, fair root, did not easily kill out, would 

 remain as long as any variety he knew of. ♦ 



Me. Sheeman asked as to how he mixed Timothy and 

 Clover, when seeding. 



Me. Mead: I use three to six pounds of Timothy to 

 one peck of Clover. 



