For the Southern States. 77 



ducing principles 42.24, woodv fibre 35.20, ash 7.54. The more 

 recent aual^Nsi^ of Wolff and Km-pp, allowing for water, gives 

 rather uune nutritive matter tli *fi tui?;. 



It giow« rapidiv and yields heavy crops of seed, makes goo* J 

 griizir»g and good hay. But ms with all the Kye grasses, to make 

 good ha.v it must he cut icfore passing the blossom stage, as 

 after that it <ieteriorat- s laphlly. The roots being shorr, it does 

 not bear diouglit we 1 and exhansis th*' soil, dying out in a tVw 

 years. In these r snecis it is liable to tiie same objections as 

 timothy. Tne s'em one to two feet high, has four to six purplish 

 joinis and as m-my durk green leaves. The iiexious sf)ik'.d pan- 

 icle bearing the distant s])ikelets, one in eacii bend. 



It sh' u d be>own in August o^ fcSepteraber, at the rate of twenty- 

 five or thirty pounds or one bushel .-eed per acre. 



TALL MEADOW OAT GEASS. 



( A rrh cna i herum A ven acewn . ) 



Evergreen grass in Virginiii, and other Southern States, audit 

 is th«^ Tall 0.«t (Avena el.jtior) of Linajus. It is closely related 

 to the common oat, an s has h bs antful open i)anicle, haning 

 sligh'ly to one side. '• Sp ke'ets two fi»iwered and a rudiraent 

 of a third, open ; lowest flower st^aninate or sterile, with a long 

 bent awn below the mi die of thn back.'' — (Flint.) 



It is wi e\y naturalized and well adapted to a great variety of 

 Soils. On sandy, or gr velh soils, it succeeds admirably, grow- 

 ing two or three feet high. On rich, dy upland it grows from 

 five to seven feet high. It has an abunclmce of perennial, long 

 fibrous roots, pei.etratiug de ply in the soil, being therefore less 

 affected by di ought or < old, and eiableri to yield a large quantity 

 of foliage, wif.ter and summer. These advantages render it one 

 of the very be^t grasses for the Soiith, both for grazing (being 

 evergr en) und for hay, admitting of be ng cut twice a year. lu 

 is |>robabl3^ tlie best winter j^rass th .t can be obtained. 



It will make t^\ic" as much hay as tmothj, and containing a 

 greater qua* tity ot albuminoiis, and less of heat prodncing prin- 

 cii les, it is better adapted to the use.s rf the Southern farmer, 

 while it exliansts the surtace soil less, and may be gr.ized i,«defi- 

 nitely, exctepi atter moving. To make good hay it must be cut 

 the instant it b < oms, and, after cut, must not be wet by dew or 

 rain, which damages it greatly in quality and appearance. 



For green soiling, it may Ite cut four o^' five' times with favor- 

 able seasons. In from six to ten days after blooming, the se-cda 

 bc'^in to -ripen and tall, the u[)per ones first. It. is therefore a. 

 little troublesome to save the s ^ d. As soon as those at the top 

 of the panicle ripen sufficiently to begin to drop, the heads should 

 be cut off and dried, when th>^ seeds will ^dl thresh out leadily 

 and be mistured. After ih- seeds are ripe and taken off' the long 

 abundant haves and stems are still g»een, and being mowtd, 

 make good hay. 



It my be sown in March or April, and mowed the same ser- 

 son; but, for heavier yield, it is better to sow iu September or 



