FOR THE SOUTHERN STATES. 



79 



finer growth and show than two in Kentucky, 

 or any other State so far North, 



Sown alone, 20 to 26 pounds, that is 2 bushels, 

 should be used; in mixtures, 4 to 6 pounds. 



ENGLISH OR PERENNIAL RYE CRASS. 



(Lolium Perenne. ) 



This is the 

 first grass culti- 

 vated in Eng- 

 land over two 

 centuries ago, 

 and at a still 

 more remote 

 period in 

 France. It was 

 long more 

 widely known 

 and cultivated 

 than any other 

 grass, became 

 adapted to a 

 great variety of 

 English Rye Grass. soils and con- 



ditions, and a 

 vast number (seventy or more) of varieties 

 produced, some of which were greatly im- 

 l^roved, while others were inferior and became 

 annuals. Introduced into the United States 

 in the first quarter of the current century, it 

 has never become very popular, although 



shown by the subjoined analysis of Way not 

 to be deficient in nutritive matter. In 100 

 parts of the dried grass cut in bloom were 

 albuminoids 11.85, fatty matters 3.17, heat- 

 producing principles 42. 24, wood fibre 35.20, 

 ash 7.54. The more recent analysis of Wolfl: 

 and Knopp, allowing for water, gives rather 

 more nutritive matter than this. 



It grows rapidly, and yields heavy crops of 

 seed; makes good grazing, and good hay. But, 

 as with all the Rye grasses, to make good hay, 

 it must be cut before passing the blossom 

 stage, as after that it deteriorates rapidly. 

 The roots being short, it does not bear drought 

 well, and exhausts the soil, dying out in a few 

 years. In these respects it is liable to the same 

 objections as Timothy. The stem, one to two 

 feet high, has four to six purplish joints and 

 as many dark green leaves; the flexious spiked 

 panicle, bearing the distant spikelets, one in 

 each bend. 



It should be sown in August or September, 

 at the rate of twenty-five or thirty pounds, or 

 one bushel seed per acre. 



TALL MEADOW OAT CRASS. 



( Arrhenatherum Avenaceum. ) 



Evergreen grass in Virginia, and other 

 Southern States, and it is the Tall Oat (Avena 

 elatior) of Linaius. It is closely related to the 

 common oat, and has a beautiful open panicle, 

 leaning slightly to one side. , ' 'Spikelets two 

 flowered, and a rudiment of a third, open; 

 lowest flower staminate or sterile, with a long 

 bent awn below the middle of the back." — 

 (Flint.) 



It is widely naturalized and well adapted to 

 a great variety of soils. On sandy, or gravelly 

 soils, it succeeds admirably, growing two or 

 three feet high. On rich, dry upland it grows 

 from five to seven feet high. It has an 

 abundance of perennial, long fibrous roots, 

 penetrating deeply in the soil, being, therefore, 

 less affected by drought or cold, and enabled 

 to yield a large quantity of foliage, winter and 

 summer. These advantages render it one of 

 the very best grasses for the South, both for 

 grazing (being evergreen) and for hay, ad- 

 mitting of being cut twice a year. It is 

 probably the best winter grass that can be 

 obtained. 



It will make twice as much hay as Timothy, 

 and containing a greater quantity of albumi- 

 noids and less of heat-producing principles, it 

 is better adapted to the uses of the Southern 

 farmer, while it exhausts the surface soil less, 

 and may be grazed indefinitely, except after 

 mowing. To make good hay it must be cut 

 the instant it blooms, and, after being cut. 



must not get wet by dew or rain, w^hich 

 damages it greatly in quality and appearance. 



For green soiling, it may be cut four or five 

 times with favorable seasons. In from six to 

 ten days after blooming, the seeds begin to 

 ripen and fall, the 

 upper ones first. It 

 is, therefore, a little 

 troublesome to 

 save the seed. As 

 soon as those at the 

 top of the panicle 

 ripen sufficientlyto 

 begin to drop, the 

 heads should be cut 

 off and dried, when 

 the seeds will all 

 thresh out readily 

 and be matured. . 

 After the seeds are 

 ripe and taken off, 

 the long abundant 

 leaves and stems 

 are still green, and 

 being mowed make 

 good hay. 



It may be sown 

 in March or April, 

 and mowed the 

 same season; but 

 for heavier yield, it 

 is better to sow in Tall Meadow Oat Grass. 



