210 THE FLORIST AND 



phia, where opportunities exist for testing the accuracy of the author's obser- 

 vations, and the present time is the very best in all the year for doing so. 

 Reference is made to communications upon the subject published elsewhere, 

 but those who possess the Farmer's Encyclopaedia — and no intelligent 

 farmer should be without a copy of this excellent work, for constant refer- 

 ence upon practical matters connected with agriculture — may find in it a 

 good deal of information relative to the grass in question, under the heads 

 of Anthoxanthum odoratum and grasses. 



Messrs. Editors: — One of the late numbers of the Boston Cutivator 

 contains a pargraph which runs as follows : " Several papers are recom- 

 mending the sweet-scented vernal grass, (Anthoxanthum Odoratum,) as a 

 good pasture grass for cows. We hope no one will be induced to try it, as 

 there are many better kinds. It is a mistake that the excellence of the 

 Philadelphia butter is owing to the grass. The idea never could have pro- 

 ceeded from an observing farmer. Cows are not fond of it, and only eat 

 it when better cannot be had. The June grass, (poa pratensis,) abounds in 

 many pastures around Philadelphia. It is one of the sweetest and most 

 nutritive grasses, and is well known to be one of best for feeding dairy and 

 fattening cattle." 



These summary conclusions I regard as hastily drawn, and trust they will 

 not generally be received without further examination of the subject, which 

 is one, I conceive, not a little interesting to those especially devoted to agri- 

 culture, but also to the community at large, everybody being more or less 

 concerned in the improvement of dairy products. Laying claim, as I do, 

 to be the first who pointed out the sweet-scented vernal grass as furnishing 

 the proximate cause of that delightful flavor for which the butter in the 

 Philadelphia and many European markets is distinguished, I do not feel 

 content to remain silent under the taunt thrown out against 'my capacities 

 for observation. My opinions upon the subject were not made up in a flash, 

 but the results of years of close inquiry, examination of pasture-fields and 

 meadows where the cows fed, which produced the highest flavored butter 

 brought to our market, and finally to chemical analysis, and crucial experi- 

 ments, as I regard them, made under my direction by many persons in 

 many places. The late Mr. Skinner, whose agricultural writings and pub- 

 lications have done so much good in extending useful information throughout 

 our country, asked me several years ago what it was that made Phila- 

 • delphia spring butter so much better than any other to be found else- 

 where in his extensive travels in the United States ? Excellent butter he 

 had met with in several places, but none that possessed the exquisite flavor 



