For the Southern States. 



87 



If 



long, are in such profusion, and cover the ground to such depth with 

 their luxuriant growth, that a mere description could give no one an 

 adequate idea of its beaut}^ quantity, and value ; that is on rich land. 

 On poor, sandy land, it degenerates sadly, as do other things uncon- 

 genially located. 



Perennial, and bearing cold and drought well, it furnishes grazing 

 a large part of the year. It is specially valuable as a winter and spring 

 grass for the South. To secure the best winter results, it should be 

 allowed a good growth in early fall, so that the ends of the leaves, 

 being killed by frost, afford an ample covering for the under-parts which 

 continue to grow all winter, and afford a good bite whenever required 

 by sheep, cattle, hogs and horses. In prolonged summer drought it 

 dries completely, so that, if fired, it would burn off clean. But this 

 occurs in Kentucky-, where indeed it has seemed without fire, to disap- 

 pear utterly ; yet, when rain came, the bright green spears promptly 

 recarpeted the earth. 



With its underground stems and many roots, it sustains the heat 

 and drought of the Southern States as ^vell as those of Kentucky, 

 where indeed it is subjected to severer trials of this kind than in the 

 more Southern States. In fact, it bears the vicissitudes of our climate 

 about as ^vell as Bermuda grass, and is nearly as nutritious. 



Blue grass groAvs w^ell on hill tops, slopes, or bottom lands, if not 

 too wet and too poor. It may be sown an^^ time from September to 

 April, preferably perhaps in the latter half of February, or early in 

 March. The best catch I ever had w^as sown the 20th of March, on 

 unbroken land, from which trash, leaves, etc., had just been burned. 

 The surface of the land should be cleaned of trash of all kinds, smooth, 

 even ; and if recently plowed and harrowed, it should be rolled also. 

 This last proceeding is for compacting the surface in order to prevent 

 the seed from sinking too deep, in the ground. Without harrowing 

 or brushing in, many of them get in too deep to come up, even when 

 the surface of the land has had the roller over it. The first rain after 

 seeding will put them in deep enough, as the seeds are very minute, 

 and the spears of grass small as fine needles, and therefore unable to 

 get out from under heavy cover. These spears are so small as to be 

 invisible, except to close examination ; and in higher latitudes, this 

 condition continues through the first year. Thus, some who have 

 sow^n the blue grass seed, seeing the first year no grass, imagine they 

 have been cheated, plant some other crop, and probably lose what 

 close inspection would have showm to be a good catch. This, however, 

 is not apt to occur in the Southern tier of States, as the growth here is 

 more rapid. The sowing mentioned above, made on the 20th of 

 March, came up promptly, and in three months the grass was from six 

 to ten inches high. One year here gives a finer growth and show thau 

 two in Kentucky, or any other State so far North. 



Sown alone, 20 to 2G pounds, that is 2 bushels, should be used ; in 

 mixtures, 4 to fi i>ounds. 



ENGLISH OR PERENNIAL RYE GRASS. 



(LoVatm Perenne.) 

 This is the first grass cultivated in England over two centuries ago, 

 and at a still more remote period in France. It was long more widely 



